Predators of the Night
by ATLAsnaps-fan
Summary: "When I was a little girl, my mother told me not to venture out into the Narrows at night. When I asked her why, she said that was the hour when Predators came out to play, when they ruled the streets of the city. I never imagined myself becoming so caught up in the world of the Predators, much less becoming one... I guess I have Jonathan to thank for that..." Jonathan/OC
1. Chapter 1

_A bolt of lightning flashed across the Gotham night sky. A roar of thunder filled the air. Tiny rain drops hit the ground like bullets to one's chest. _

_Another bolt of lightning flashed, lighting up the small apartment room. Olivia flinched at the thunder that followed. Ever since she was a small girl, she had feared lightning storms. Often she wondered why a childish fear had followed her into adulthood. _

"_Liv? Are you listening to me?"_

_She turned to look at the man standing in the room with her. The man she loved. The man she had a child with. The man who was leaving her tonight. It seemed like just yesterday they had met on the streets of the Narrows; she, a girl of nineteen who spoke choppy English and was making money by selling her body, and he, a successful business man with a cold, bitter wife at home. It was only supposed to last for a night. This shouldn't have become a seven year romance. _

_But it did—and Olivia loved him more than anything else in the world. _

"_Charlie," she whispered. "Don't leave. I don't want to be alone again. Please…please stay."_

_His eyes were filled with pain. Charlie walked over to her and held her in his arms. "I'll be back before you know it," he whispered into her dirty blonde curls. "It will just be a little while."_

_Olivia looked up at him and nodded. He leaned down to kiss her and the world seemed to stop. However, all good things have to come to an end. He pulled away and gave her hand one last squeeze. He walked over to the bed and gave their sleeping daughter a kiss on the forehead, then made his way to the door. Before he opened it, Charlie turned back to her._

"_Just a few days. I'll be back before you know it," he promised._

_Olivia nodded and watched him leave. _Just a few days, _she reminded herself. _You'll be okay.

_That was the last time Olivia saw him alive. _

**. . .**

_Twelve years later…_

Brynn Kiley stared out the window of her family's Escalade, taking in the campus of Gotham University. It was early September and the leaves were just beginning to change from their summery greens to the reds and yellows of autumn. They drove by students, many of whom were catching up with old friends on the Campus Green. Brynn's heart was beating anxiously as they neared the dorm she would be living in for the next year: Brighton Hall.

Brynn was tugging on the hem of her shirt. She had been accepted to Gotham U early in the winter and had been excited for it until recently. In the last month, something had changed. No longer did the large university seem appealing and exciting to her. To be honest, Brynn was dreading attending Gotham U.

Brynn's older sister, Cadence, gave her arm a squeeze. "You're going to love it here, Brynn. The people, the places, your professors. It's _such_ an amazing experience."

Despite her sister's reassuring tone, Brynn was not convinced. Once the school was in full view, Brynn gulped. The five-story, red brick building placed in the center of the campus gave her chills. It seemed intimidating and unwelcoming.

"I'm sure Hadley would have been just as good," Brynn muttered, referring to the smaller campus close to their home.

"Oh, Brynn," her father, George Kiley, said from the front of the car. He slowed the vehicle to allow pedestrians to cross before speeding up again. "Gotham's just fine. Your brother and sister loved it and all of your friends are here. You're going to have a great time."

Brynn rolled her eyes at her father's remark. Just because her siblings had a good experience did not mean she would—they were different people, they would have different opinions.

She slouched in her seat for the remainder of the short drive to Brighton Hall. George slowed the car and shifted into "park" in front of the old, red brick building.

George and Cadence immediately jumped from the car, excited to see the campus dorm. Brynn and her mother, Madelynn, stayed behind.

The two sat in silence for a moment. Finally, Madelynn turned in her seat to look at Brynn. Her dark eyes examined her daughter's face.

"You really don't want to be here, do you?" her mother asked bluntly.

Brynn sighed. "Is it really that obvious?"

"Hardly," she replied sarcastically.

Brynn sighed again and pulled her knees to her chest. She looked out the window and examined Brighton Hall. It wasn't as intimidating as the main University building. In fact, due to renovations, Brighton Hall was a very nice red brick building with vines of ivy creeping up the front. From the pictures she had seen online, she knew the inside was even nicer.

However, that did not make the nervous feeling in the pit of her stomach leave. The twisted knot remained intact at the bottom of her stomach, growing tighter every time she thought of living here.

"Give it a month," Madelynn said, pulling her daughter out of her thoughts. "If you don't like it, I'll let you switch to Hadley."

"Like Dad will ever allow that," Brynn said bitterly.

Her mother smirked at her, her dark eyes shining. "I'll convince him."

Brynn smiled graciously at her mother. She had always understood Brynn better than anyone and Brynn felt a great deal of respect for the woman. Sometimes, she even thought of her as her birth mother instead of her adoptive mother.

Madelynn exited the car, followed by Brynn, and wrapped her arm around the young woman's shoulders.

"You're going to have a great time," Madelynn whispered before they walked through the doors of Brighton Hall.

**. . .**

An hour later, Brynn was moved into her dorm room. After helping set up, her family had left, giving her hugs, kisses, and reassurances. Cadence had written down the address of the dorm she was staying in, as well as their brother, Conrad's. Her sister promised to visit her whenever she could and that she would just _love _Gotham.

Brynn wasn't too sure about that last part.

Now that she was alone, she changed into comfier apparel, throwing on a gray V-neck t-shirt and black yoga pants. She walked around the room, trying to get a feel for it. There were two beds, two dressers, and two desks set up at the back of the room and in the front there were two vanities. They even had the luxury of a bathroom attached to their room, though they had to share it with the room next door. Brynn just hoped they wouldn't be fighting for the showers at the same time.

Overall, the room was cozy and inviting. She was sharing it with a girl she'd been friends with back at St. Mary's High School, Sydney Hyland. The two of them had always gotten along and Sydney was hilarious. Maybe Gotham U wouldn't be that bad.

_Maybe._

Brynn was startled when a loud sound erupted behind her. She spun around, her heart racing a million miles per hour. Luckily, it was just Sydney.

Brynn slapped her hand to her chest, showing the other girl she had frightened her. "_Jesus, _you scared me. Could you slam the door shut any harder?"

Sydney smiled slyly at the other girl. "Thought I'd make an entrance. So _Brynnigans, _how was your summer? Let me guess—you went sunbathing in the Hamptons? Scuba diving in Australia?"

Brynn rolled her eyes at the nickname Sydney had given to her. "Actually, neither. We were at the lake house this summer. What about your summer, Syd? Anything interesting I should know?"

The tall blonde flashed her a smile. "If I told you I'd have to kill you."

"Then we'll leave it at that," Brynn laughed.

Sydney plopped down on her bed, causing some of the stuffed animals and pillows to tumble to the floor. She pulled her phone out of her pocket and inspected her reflection on the screen. "Actually, I'm ending my summer tonight. I heard there was a bonfire tonight on the Campus Green around eleven. Rumor has it that some pretty hot boys are going to be there…" Sydney winked suggestively. "Want to go?"

"I don't know, I have class tomorrow morning," Brynn told her friend.

Sydney slapped her hands on her comforter. "Brynn Kiley, when has school ever stopped you from going to a party?"

Brynn thought for a moment. "Never, actually."

"Exactly! So let's live up our last night of summer, meet some really cute boys, and have _fun!_ You in?"

The angelic side of Brynn told her no, she had classes in the morning and she needed to be well rested. The devilish side teased her with thoughts of dancing, laughing, and having a good time. In the end, the latter won.

"I'm in," Brynn said mischievously.

**. . .**

_Beep, beep, beep._

Brynn's fist came in contact with her alarm clock, hitting the snooze button for the umpteenth time. "Five more minutes," she muttered into her pillow. The alarm went off again and Brynn groaned in agitation. She grabbed her clock to turn it off.

_8:37_, it read.

Brynn allowed this to sink in for a mere second before she went into panic mode. _8:37? _She had class at _nine_! She kicked the sheets off her wildly and jumped out of bed. In the process, she managed to stumble over her packed suitcase and fall to the floor.

"_Owww," _she groaned. Brynn pulled herself up and into the bathroom, quickly turning the cold water on and splashing it onto her face. The makeup from the previous night was smudged under her eyes, making her look like a zombie. She violently scrubbed at the dark circles and patted her face dry.

Brynn's head throbbed. Although she hadn't consumed any alcohol the previous night, Brynn had been out until 3:45. Sydney had begged her, promising they would only stay for a little bit. A little bit had turned into an hour and soon, Brynn had lost track of time.

After brushing her teeth, Brynn ran back into her room and frantically looked for something to wear. In a hurry she pulled a pair of jeans and the gray t-shirt she'd had on the previous day off the floor and onto her body. Once she was dressed, she pulled a comb through her strawberry blonde hair and grabbed the empty backpack off her desk.

She ran out of the room, down the three flights of stairs and out the door. Once she was outside, she pulled her phone out of her pocket to look at the time. _8:53_, the digital clock read.

Brynn quickly jogged down the sidewalk and made her way toward the main building. If she remembered correctly, she had Psychology 101 on the fourth floor in room 409. She couldn't remember the name of her professor but she didn't think that mattered as of right now.

At 8:58, Brynn was swinging the doors of the main building open and looking for an elevator. She quickly spotted one and pushed the up button. While she waited, she tapped her foot impatiently. How long did was this stupid thing going to take?

Brynn decided it would be much longer before it finally arrived and darted for a door with the word _staircase _written across it. She sprinted up stairs, two at a time and counted off the floors. Finally she reached the fourth floor.

Taking in deep breaths, Brynn counted off the rooms. _401, 402, 403…_ She looked at her phone again. _9:02. 406, 407, 408…_ Brynn exhaled when she reached 409. Quietly, she opened the door and entered the lecture hall.

It was a big room with at least seventy other students. As her luck would have it, everyone immediately looked to her as soon as the door shut behind her. Brynn's face flared and she made her way for the first empty seat she saw.

"Ah, late I see," the professor said loudly. He was an older man with gray hair and thick glasses.

Brynn's shoulders slumped and she looked to her professor apologetically. "Sorry," she said sweetly. Brynn turned again, heading for the empty seat in the back row.

"Not so fast," he called to her. Brynn froze and looked to him. In his hand, he waved a thick packet of papers at her. "You're going to want a syllabus."

"You've got to be kidding me," Brynn said under her breath. She awkwardly walked to the front of the classroom, all seventy pairs of eyes watching her. She took the packet from her professor and turned to walk away again.

"Wait," he said. Brynn turned to look at him, officially pissed. Was he trying to embarrass her?

He motioned to an empty seat next to a younger looking boy in the front row. "Sit there."

Brynn huffed and plopped down in the empty seat next to the boy. She kept her face down so no one would see how red with embarrassment she was.

"Back to what I was saying _before _we were so rudely interrupted," he said, looking at Brynn. She sank lower into her seat. "I'm Professor Mapps and this is Psycholgy 101. This is a challenging course and you should expect a rigorous workload. If you're not up for the challenge, I suggest you leave now."

His eyes swept over the crowd, daring someone to leave. Everyone remained seated and he nodded in approval.

"Good. Now open your textbooks to page fifteen and have your notebooks out," Professor Mapps said. He walked to the projector and waited as it hummed to life.

Brynn opened her bag only to realize she didn't have her textbook, notebook, or pens. _Of course, _she thought bitterly. She turned to the young boy seated next to her, his textbook and notes already out.

"Can I borrow some paper and a pen?" she whispered to him. The boy looked at her with annoyance before tearing out a few sheets of paper and handing her a pen. He then adjusted his glasses and listened intently to what Professor Mapps was saying.

_What's his problem? _Brynn thought. She stared at the dark haired boy next to her for a second longer and dismissed him as a stuck up teacher's pet.

Brynn tried her hardest to stay awake during the lecture. Her first day of college and she had been humiliated in front of the entire class and her professor probably thought of her as a slacker. So far, her day _sucked. _

Brynn sighed and started to scribble down the notes Professor Mapps was writing on the board. She could only hope things would get better from here.

**. . .**

**A/N: Thanks to everyone who read the first chapter! Feel free to leave reviews and any advice for me. Chapter Two will be posted soon and you'll be introduced to a few more significant characters. **


	2. Chapter 2

The first week at Gotham University progressively got better. Brynn managed to arrive to the rest of her classes on time and befriended a few new students. Her other professors were decent in her opinion, though Mapps still had it out for her.

On Thursday, Professor Mapps gave them a quiz over the reading they had been assigned the night before. The words on the paper blurred together as Brynn stared at them. There were just a few minutes left and she still had half a page left. Nervously, she chewed on the cap of her pen, trying to decide between letters B and C.

_What are the four main ideas of Psychology? _The next question read. She tried to list them off in her head but could only remember the first three. She drummed her fingers on the desk, trying to pull the last reason from her memory.

"Time's up," Professor Mapps said suddenly. Students dropped their pens and stretched their arms over their heads, loosening their muscles. Brynn attempted to answer the question, scribbling furiously. Mapps walked over and snatched the paper from her. The movement caused her pen to draw a thick black line across the paper.

"Time's up, Miss Kiley," Mapps said gruffly. He examined her paper and frowned. "Did you read the assigned pages last night?"

Brynn's cheeks flared up in embarrassment. _Great_, now he thought she was an idiot. "I did. I highlighted things I thought would be important and even reread the section. I guess I just don't understand it that well."

Mapps clucked his tongue. "I suggest you try a different method of studying. I can guarantee you it will be difficult to pass the class with test scores like these."

Brynn's jaw dropped slightly at his remark. What else was she supposed to do? Her method of studying had allowed her to get A's and B's in high school, so why should it be any different in college?

After Mapps had collected all the quizzes, he dismissed the class. Within no time, the room emptied out, leaving Brynn with Professor Mapps.

"Professor Mapps," Brynn said, making her way over to his desk.

"Yes?" he asked, not looking up from the quizzes. Already he had managed to fill a page with red ink.

"Is there any way I could get extra help? Failing isn't exactly on my list of things to do."

Mapps put his pen down. "I'm afraid my schedule is too busy and I would not be able to review the material with you. However, I would suggest finding a tutor."

"Could you recommend one to me?"

"I'll let you know tomorrow. In the meantime, I suggest going over the notes we've taken in class."

Brynn nodded. "Thanks, Professor Mapps."

The man went back to grading his papers. "No problem."

She left the room, her legs feeling like lead. To be honest, she had no idea how she was going to pass Psychology. The material was confusing and there was just so _much _to remember. Brynn desperately needed to find a good tutor or she would probably be forced to drop the class.

Now that she thought about, Brynn wasn't entirely sure why she was taking the course. She had no interest in going into the medical field, despite her father's pleas. Her father was a successful doctor at the city hospital and had managed to convince Cadence and Conrad to go into the medical field. With his youngest daughter, he was having no such luck.

Her next class did not start for another half hour, so Brynn decided to head for the library. She might as well go over her notes and try to understand what they were learning. She made her way through the campus, her heavy backpack causing her back to ache. Surprisingly, the campus was quite empty at the moment and Brynn did not have to fight her way through crowds to get to her destination. After a short walk, she pushed open the doors to the library and was greeted by the musky smell of textbooks.

Other students occupied the library, some copying sections out of there textbooks, others typing on their laptops. Brynn scanned the room, trying to find a seat. In the back corner, she recognized the young boy who sat next to her in Psychology class. His nose was buried in their thick Psychology textbook. Brynn walked over to where he was seated. Maybe he would be nice enough to explain what they were learning.

Brynn startled him when she dropped her heavy book on the table. He looked up at her with annoyance, clearly unhappy that she had disturbed him. Brynn smiled apologetically as she sat down in the chair across from him.

"Hi," she said sweetly, "I'm Brynn. We sit next to each other in Psychology."

The boy did not reply. Instead, he continued to stare at her, his shockingly blue eyes studying her face.

"I was just wondering if you wouldn't mind going over the reading assignment from last night. You seem to know what you're doing and I could use the extra help," Brynn explained. She made sure to bat her lashes while she spoke to him, hoping the seething look would leave his face. She had no such luck.

The boy shut his text book and folded his hands on top of it. He smirked at her as he began to speak. "I know your type. You're a pretty girl, a C average student, I'm assuming. I was watching you take the quiz in Mapps today, saw how you struggled and barely knew the material. Now you're beginning to realize just how overwhelming the work load truly is. So what is your solution? Become all buddy-buddy with a seemingly 'loser-type' like me. You'll be polite, perhaps even flirt a little. You'll try to convince me that I am something 'special' and lead me on. And as soon as you have your A, you will just throw me to the curb. Don't try to deny it. I've witnessed it _hundreds _of times with fellow classmates and yet have never fallen victim to your type's _tricks_. So no, I'm not interested."

Brynn sat back, dumbfounded by his harsh words. What was _that_ all about? "Stereotypical much?"

"No," he replied. "Just ahead of the game."

With that, he stood up and strutted off. Brynn watched him leave, wanting nothing more than to follow him and start an argument. The kid was a complete _asshole. _What made the matter worse was that he looked to be about _fifteen. _Brynn had just been told off by a freaking _kid. _

Brynn huffed and stuffed her things back into her bag. She was too angered by his words to even try to focus on her notes. Brynn left the library, praying that she would _never _have to deal with him again.

**. . .**

The rest of her classes dragged on that day. After the incident in the library, Brynn had been left in a sour mood, snapping at anyone who tried to speak to her. The scene replayed in her mind again and again. The image of the boy's smirking face haunted her. Every time she thought about him, Brynn angrily tugged at a piece of her hair.

Classes finally ended and Brynn wanted nothing more than a smoothie from the campus's cafeteria and to be left alone. Outside she was greeted by sunshine and warm weather. How unfitting for her mood.

Luckily the cafeteria was not that crowded. Brynn purchased a mango smoothie and took a long sip. Instantly, she felt better and her mood began to lighten up.

As she took long sips of the smoothie, an arm wrapped around her shoulders. Brynn nearly choked at the sudden touch and wheeled around. Standing before her was Dominic Langston, a tall blonde boy whom she had met while touring Gotham U.

Brynn jokingly punched his shoulder. "Hands off, creep."

Her friend smirked at her, his pale green eyes mischievous. "That's no way to greet a friend."

"Yeah, well most people don't enjoy being groped by their friends either."

Dominic smiled like a Cheshire cat. He leaned back against a table and crossed his arms over his chest. "Where have you been all week, _Brynnigans?_ I've been looking everywhere for you."

"Why does everyone insist on calling me that?" Brynn asked. "And I've been busy lately. Let's just say Psychology is eating me alive."

Dominic gave her a pained look. "Ew, _Psychology_? I bet that's a _blast_."

"Far from it. You have no idea how badly I want to drop it. And to make matters worse, I'm stuck next to some bratty know-it-all. I asked him for help today and he went off on me, saying he knew my 'type' and that I was just going to use him. Can you believe that?"

Dominic chuckled softly and wrapped her up in a hug. Brynn hadn't realized how badly she had missed her old friend. Dominic always managed to put her in a good mood with his jokes and easy-going attitude. He was such a carefree, happy person and seemed to put those around him in a good mood.

He ended the hug and looked her in the eye. "Don't let some punk get to you. If he's giving you a hard time, let me know. I'll have to inform him that _I'm _the only one allowed to give you a hard time."

Brynn rolled her eyes. "Thanks, Dom."

He ruffled her hair despite her protests. "Any time, Squirt. And don't make plans for this weekend. I'm getting a group together Saturday night for a little game of beer pong and it's going to be _pretty awesome_ if I may say so."

Brynn laughed. "We'll see. I'll talk to you later, Dom."

"See you around, Kid."

**. . .**

On Friday morning, Brynn walked into Psychology 101, still half asleep. She dropped her books on the table and scowled when she saw the boy. He paid no attention to her, caught up in his notes.

Before Brynn could sit down, Professor Mapps called her over to his desk. When she reached him he handed her a small sticky note.

"What's this?" Brynn asked in confusion.

"The name and number of your new tutor," Mapps replied.

Brynn looked down at the tiny green piece of paper. _Jonathan Crane. 555-8728. _The name sounded familiar but she couldn't put a face to it. Brynn looked back at Professor Mapps.

"Who is he?"

Professor Mapps pointed behind her. She turned and realized his finger was pointing in the direction of the brat who sat next to her.

_Oh God, no._

Brynn dropped her voice so only Professor Mapps could hear her. "_Him_?"

"He had the highest score on the quiz yesterday and actively participates in class. Mr. Crane understands the material and willingly agreed to help you," the professor explained.

"Professor Mapps, you don't understand. I can't work with him. There's no way."

"And why would that be?"

"The kid hates me!" Brynn exclaimed.

Professor Mapps sat back in his chair and frowned at Brynn. "Well, I suggest you two work out your differences. You wouldn't want to fail the course, would you?"

Brynn huffed and walked back to her seat. She jabbed the boy, Jonathan, in the shoulder with her index finger, causing him to look up in surprise.

"_You're_ tutoring me?" Brynn asked dully.

"Against my will, yes," Jonathan replied, adjusting his glasses.

Brynn let out a bitter laugh. "What is your problem? I've never done anything to offend you and was nice to you yesterday."

Jonathan remained calm as he spoke to her, his light blue eyes piercing into her skull. "I guess you could say I am not exactly _fond _of people like you."

"Then why are you tutoring me if you think I'm such a bad person?" she snapped.

Jonathan shrugged. "My reasons are of no concern to you. I'm free tomorrow morning at ten if you wish to review the notes. Otherwise, good luck finding a new tutor."

Brynn scowled at him. Jonathan was really starting to anger her with his stereotypical remarks. He did not know her, so who was he to judge?

Professor Mapps started his lecture before Brynn could say anything else to Jonathan. She tried her best to focus on what Mapps was saying, but found herself to be distracted by her anger. Out of the corner of her eye she watched Jonathan scribbling notes into his notebook. He put his pen down and looked up, causing Brynn to quickly look away.

Something about him made her feel slightly uncomfortable. She wasn't sure why, but she felt as though there was something much more sinister hiding behind the frames of his glasses, studying Brynn's every move. The thought caused her to shudder.

Brynn blocked Jonathan out of her mind. She could only hope that after tomorrow the material would make sense to her and she would never have to speak to him again.

**. . .**

**A/N: I hope everyone enjoyed Chapter 2! I'd like to give a shout out to ShatteredMirrorReflection, corbsxx, and Solstice White for reviewing! Feel free to leave any advice in your reviews, they help out a lot. Chapter 3 will be up shortly. **


	3. Chapter 3

Gotham was in for a surprise Saturday morning when the temperature dropped forty degrees. The once warm air was now brisk, a strong wind picking up. The howls of the wind were heard from within the walls of the dorms. Slumbering students cringed at the sound, curling into tight balls under their blankets.

Brynn braced herself for the wind as she walked out the doors of Brighton Hall, tugging her arm through the sleeve of her jacket. Instantly, the wind attacked her, sending chills down her spine. She shivered violently. Oh, how she missed the days when the temperature soared into the high nineties…

The walk to the library became a battle against the wind. Fighting her way through the wind, Brynn walked as quickly as possible, wanting to escape this Ice Age and find a warm safe haven. Her teeth chattered uncontrollably and her short hair was whipped around. No doubt it would be a mess upon arriving to the library.

Brynn spotted the library on the opposite side of the Campus Green and made a dash for the old building. She pushed the heavy doors opened, consumed by heat and relief. She allowed herself to get used to the change before looking for the young boy she was to work with. Sitting at the back table, Jonathan was buried in one of his textbooks. He was deeply intrigued by whatever it was he was reading because he did not look up when Brynn reached his table.

She plopped down in the seat across from him. Jonathan flipped the page of the enormous tome. "You're late," he said without even looking at her.

Brynn suppressed a scoff. Was he honestly going to chastise her about tardiness? "Sorry," she replied bitterly.

Jonathan sighed and closed his book. He looked up at Brynn, his light blue eyes boring into her skull. Brynn held his gaze only for a few seconds before she looked away. God, his eyes were so creepy and eerie. To make matters worse, Jonathan stared at her, unblinking. This kid was giving her the creeps.

Brynn cleared her throat. Still, he refused to blink. "So," she started slowly. "Where do we begin?"

Thankfully, Jonathan broke his gaze. "At the beginning, of course. Now is it safe to assume you've never taken a Psychology class before?"

Brynn nodded. Next thing she knew, Jonathan was pushing one of the massive books towards her. _Psychology: A Framework for Everyday Thinking_ read the cover.

"What's this for?" she asked. Carefully, she opened the book and flipped through the thick pages. Words she did not recognize stood out to her in boldface, giving her a headache. Brynn quickly shut the book.

"Background information," Jonathan replied dully. He pushed his thin glasses further up his nose. "I need that back when you're done with it by the way."

"Why don't we just use the textbook?" Brynn said.

The younger boy rolled his eyes. "We _are _going to use the textbook. This is just extra information to help you understand. I suggest you read it."

His know-it-all tone annoyed her. Brynn leaned back in her chair. "Do you mind me asking how old you are?"

"As a matter of fact, yes. And I do not see how my age has anything to do with Psychology."

"Fourteen? Fifteen?" Brynn threw numbers at him. Jonathan rolled his eyes and sighed in exasperation.

"_Sixteen. _Seventeen in a month if you must know," he added dryly.

Awesome. Someone more than two years younger than her was tutoring her. Fan_tastic._

"I'm nineteen," Brynn told him.

"I don't remember asking, but thank you for that useless piece of information you have provided me with."

Brynn leaned forward in her seat, her eyes studying Jonathan's young face. He was disturbingly thin and sickly pale. A spattering of freckles stood out against the pale skin and she could make out a few feint acne scars here and there. His lips and sharp cheek bones gave him a slightly feminine look. And those eyes…those blue orbs gave him his cold, sharp edge.

"What did I do to you?" Brynn asked bluntly.

"Haven't we been over this?" Jonathan replied. His head was cocked to the side, his hand resting under his smooth chin. He raised his brows, waiting for a reply.

"Why are you so stereotypical?"

"Why do you care so much?"

He had a good point, she realized. Why _did _she care so much? She knew it was pointless to argue with him. Jonathan had most likely been bullied in high school and just assumed she was like everyone else who had ever picked on him. Brynn didn't blame him. So far she had been pretty rude to him. Still, that didn't mean he had to be so rude to her.

Slumping back in her seat, Brynn raised her hands in surrender. "Forget it. You clearly just don't like people."

Jonathan muttered something under his breath, something that sounded like, "For good reason." He turned his attention away from Brynn and grabbed one of his textbooks, opening it to where he left off.

Brynn waited a moment, unsure of whether he was just looking for something to go over or if he had just decided to ignore her. It became clear he had chosen the latter.

Brynn huffed and stood up, straightening her shirt as she did so. The sudden movement caused Jonathan to look up and raise a brow questioningly.

"This 'tutoring session' just isn't going to work out between us," Brynn stated. "I'll ask Professor Mapps for help. Sorry for wasting your time."

Jonathan did not retort with some snide comment nor did he return to his book. He simply stared at her, his face betraying no emotions.

Brynn nodded awkwardly and turned for the door. The entire way out she felt his disturbing eyes on her, watching.

**. . .**

Brynn had considered going back into the library after storming out. She had stood uncertainly outside for at least five minutes. True, the little brat was infuriating and rude, but she needed the extra help. In the end, Brynn decided to just go back to her room and try to teach herself the material.

The moment Brynn stepped into her dorm room at Brighton Hall, Sydney was pulling her back out. The other girl insisted on going to get a late breakfast at one of the small cafés on campus. Trying to explain to Sydney that she needed to study for Psychology was not enough to convince her. Defeated, Brynn allowed Sydney to take her out.

That is how she came to be seated in the small café next to the large window. On the other side of the glass, a group of boys were in the middle of an intense soccer match. Sydney's eyes devoured their tanned, fit bodies hungrily. So this was why Sydney had wanted to go out so desperately.

Brynn cleared her throat, trying to get her friend's attention. "So how are your classes so far?"

Sydney continued to twirl a blonde curl around her finger, all focus going to the soccer players.

"You want to see a movie tonight?"

Once again, no response.

Brynn let out an exasperated sigh. "I think he's checking you out!" she exclaimed.

Sydney snapped back to attention and looked around the crowded room. Immediately, she pulled her already low cut shirt even lower, the top of her bright pink bra poking out. "Where?"

"Gotcha," Brynn smirked.

Sydney pouted at her friend. "Not funny, _Brynn._"

Brynn simply shrugged. "I thought you had the hots for Brian? Why ogle over some soccer boys when you have him?"

"Eh, I moved on. Brian was too boring for my taste. He wasn't…" Sydney trailed off, searching for the right word.

"Spontaneous?"

Sydney pointed at her. "Exactly. I need some fire in my life. Someone who wants an _adventure_."

With that being said, Sydney's eyes returned to the game going on outside. She sighed appreciatively.

Brynn rolled her eyes. Sydney was so boy-crazy sometimes it was infuriating. Giving up on a conversation, Brynn's eyes trailed the room. Familiar faces, as well as unfamiliar, surrounded them. Brynn recognized some students from St. Mary's. A few tables down sat Meredith White. The girl was gorgeous, with dark hair, red lips, and flawless skin. Brynn was convinced she was a real life Snow White, though she would never admit it. It made sense, especially with her last name being "White."

At that moment, Meredith's brown eyes found Brynn and she smiled warmly. Raising a small, graceful hand she motioned for Brynn to come to her table. Brynn stood and weaved through the crowded room and was greeted with a hug from the girl.

"Brynn, it's so good to see you!" Meredith exclaimed. "How have you been?"

Brynn pulled away and smiled. "Pretty good. How about you?"

"Oh, you know. Just the same," Meredith told her. She motioned at the empty chair at her table. "Sit."

Brynn did as was told. She pulled out the empty chair and sat, the other girls making room for her. Meredith leaned forward and smiled, her eyes gleaming brightly.

"I can only stay for a second, I'm here with someone," Brynn explained. She nodded back in Sydney's direction. Apparently, she hadn't noticed Brynn's absence.

Meredith nodded. "No problem. So how do you like Gotham U?"

"It's okay," Brynn replied. "I'm not really sure how I feel about it yet. I might be switching to Hadley next semester."

"Aw, Brynn, give it a chance!" Meredith pouted.

Brynn shrugged. "We'll see how it goes. I doubt my dad will let me switch, though."

"Well, I hope you stay," Meredith said honestly, flashing her signature smile. God, the girl was perfect. Brynn felt hideous compared to Meredith.

"Thanks, Mare," Brynn smiled. "I should probably get back to Syd. I'll talk to you later, okay?"

Meredith nodded. "Hey, we should get together sometime. Are you busy tonight? We were going to a party and you should come with us."

"Yeah, sure. Just text me the time," she said.

"Will do," Meredith told her.

When she got back to the table, Sydney was giving her a look. Maybe she had noticed Brynn's absence.

"Way to ditch me," Sydney snapped.

Brynn muttered an apology and stared out the window. Arguing with Sydney would be pointless. Besides, Sydney would be over it in just a few minutes.

**. . .**

As promised, Meredith texted Brynn with the time and place of the party. A little after nine, Brynn arrived at the party, located on the other side of campus. She ended up bringing Sydney with her to make up for leaving her earlier. Sydney's sour mood had disappeared and spent the entire ride to the house chatting excitedly, nearly running two red lights and hitting a pedestrian. Brynn cowered in her seat, wishing she still had her car and did not have to rely on Sydney to take her places.

Inside, a loud song with a low bass was blasting through the stereo. The lights had been dimmed and the room was small and hot. People continuously bumped into Brynn as she made her way to the back of the room.

Finding Meredith had been easy. She was in the back of the room surrounded by a few guys whose eyes watched her every move. Behind her stood Abby Tate, Bethany McDoyle, and Kristen Craft, her usual posse. The other girls stuck their chests out, hoping to get as much attention from them as they gave to Meredith.

Meredith spotted Brynn and excused herself from the group. The boys eyed Brynn, annoyed that she was taking Meredith from them. _Whatever. _

"Hey, girl!" Meredith exclaimed. She threw her toned arms around Brynn's neck. Brynn was overcome by her sweet-smelling perfume and hairspray.

Meredith pulled away and gave Sydney a polite smile. "Hi, Sydney."

"Meredith," Sydney replied.

Brynn knew Meredith disliked Sydney but would never admit it. It was out of her nature to be mean or rude.

Meredith turned back to Brynn. "I'm so glad you could come! You know the boys, right?"

Brynn looked back at "the boys." Some looked familiar but she honestly could care less for them. The boys Meredith hung around were usually airhead jocks.

"Yeah," Brynn lied. She acknowledged them by nodding and received a few stiff nods in reply. Some of their eyes trailed behind her to Sydney, suddenly interested. Sydney flashed them a small, mischievous smile.

Well, it looked as though Sydney wouldn't be returning to the dorm tonight…

Meredith pulled Brynn into her circle and made herself the main attraction again. She laughed loudly, batted her eyelashes, and twirled her hair around her finger. Now that Sydney was around, Meredith would flirt a little harder.

Brynn watched as the two girls did their best to maintain the boys' attention. They had no problem; the boys were completely intoxicated with them.

Brynn stood awkwardly in the back with the three other girls. She was bored out of her mind and drummed her fingers against her legs. Was this how it was going to be all night? Just standing there and watching the girls compete?

Obviously, that was all that would happen that night. Brynn excused herself and pushed her way through the crowd. It was so unbearably hot in there and she needed some air. Finally, she managed to reach the front door and slipped through it.

Other people had had the same idea as her and about twenty others lingered around outside. A group of girls stood on the front porch, one of them crying about her boyfriend. By the bushes, a couple was making out loudly. Two boys to her right were smoking cigarettes and talking about "getting some" that night.

Brynn walked down the stairs towards the sidewalk, deciding to go for a short walk. The cold night air helped to soothe the headache that had formed from the loud music and cigarette smoke. She breathed in deeply, savoring the fresh air. In the distance, a car alarm went off.

Brynn ventured further down the street, humming to herself as she walked. The noises from the party were becoming feint and soon she was left in silence.

Out of the corner of her eye, a shadow flashed by. Brynn paused and looked in the direction of where she had seen it. Her eyes rested on some cars on the other side of the street. Her eyes studied the vehicles, not seeing anything suspicious hiding behind them.

Behind her, there was a rustling sound, like someone walking through the grass. She spun around, on edge now. No one was there. Perhaps she should go back to the house…

Brynn turned around and began to quickly walk down the sidewalk. The house was a good walk down the street. Brynn looked over her shoulder repeatedly.

Another noise came from behind. Brynn's pace sped up and her heart was pounding dangerously.

She should know better than to wander off at night, especially in Gotham. A person would think that spending the beginning of their life in the Narrows would teach them that…

She started to run when she heard footsteps. Her legs took off and she was sprinting down the street. Her breath came out in gasps and her footsteps rang out in the silence. The house was getting closer….

At last, she reached the house and startled the couple by the bushes. They looked at her as if she had grown another head, but Brynn simply ignored them. Who had been behind her? She allowed herself to look down the street, only to find it empty. Maybe she had just imagined it?

No, someone had most definitely been following her. For what reasons, she wasn't sure. Maybe they hadn't had a reason, but had just wanted to give her a good scare?

This was Gotham, after all. Stuff like that should not surprise her.

**. . .**

_It had been a week. _

_A week since Charlie had left. Not once had he called to let them know where he was. To let them know that he missed them. To let them know he was okay. _

_Olivia knew she shouldn't be worried. It was normal for Charlie to leave for long amounts of time and not contact them. He had to be careful so his wife wouldn't find out about them. But still—Olivia felt like something was wrong._

_In the living room, their daughter sat on the floor, drawing a picture. Olivia looked over her shoulder to see a picture of a small, black bird. _

"_What's that, hunny?" she asked. _

_Her daughter looked up at her, her wide, dark eyes innocent. Those eyes had been the only thing she had inherited from her mother. Everything else was from her father._

_The little girl shoved the picture into her mother's face. "A bird. Daddy said he would buy me one."_

_Olivia smiled. "Well, isn't that sweet."_

"_Where is Daddy?"_

_The color drained from her caramel colored face. Not that question again. She was running out of excuses. _

_Olivia scooped her baby girl up in her arms. "He's taking care of something. He'll be back soon."_

_The little girl nodded and said sadly, "I miss, Daddy."_

_Olivia's eyes filled with tears. _Oh, Charlie_, she thought_. Where are you?

"_I miss him, too," Olivia said quietly. She then began to softly sing a lullaby in Spanish to her sweet, little girl. _

**. . .**

** A/N: So there's Chapter 3, everyone! I hope you all liked it! Please review and leave your thoughts. Any advice is greatly appreciated and helpful. **

** Also, something that I've been thinking about lately…should I write the story in first person from Brynn's point of view? I feel like it would flow better and would be easier to express her thoughts. Or should I just leave it the way it is? I haven't decided if I'm going to have scenes in the story from Jonathan's point of view or another character's, but I doubt I will. What do you think? What would you prefer to read? I thought I would ask before I get too far into the story and decide I don't like how it is being presented. Please tell me your thoughts, it would help immensely!**


	4. Chapter 4

"Miss Kiley, perhaps you should pay attention during the lecture instead of dozing off?"

Brynn lifted her head up and scowled. The older man simply smirked at her and went back to what he was saying.

Pushing herself away from the table, Brynn sat up straight. She raised her arms above her head, stretching her body out and grimaced. The past two nights had been sleepless and her stiff mattress did nothing to help with the matter. Ever since Saturday night, Brynn had felt paranoid; she was convinced someone was hiding in the shadows, waiting to cut her to pieces and dispose of her in the harbor. She had confessed to Sydney about what happened, though she was not much help. Sydney had spent the majority of Sunday on the bathroom floor, fighting off severe nausea from her hangover.

To make matters worse, today was the second time Brynn was late to Psychology. Mapps, of course, had given her crap about it and spent five minutes lecturing about tardiness. Out of the corner of her eye, she had seen a feint smirk on Jonathan Crane's face.

Brynn rubbed her eyes tiredly and stared down at her notebook. The page was blank except for a few doodles in the margins. Random circles and triangles took up the left side of the page, while the right side was dominated by different versions of her signature.

Resting her chin in her hand, Brynn continued with the doodles, finding a blank space towards the bottom. Her pen remained frozen mere centimeters above the paper as she thought of what to draw. An idea came to her and she allowed her hand to take over. A minute later, a little black bird occupied the page.

Once it was completed, she looked up and noticed Jonathan staring at her notebook. His eyes looked over the page disapprovingly. Brynn noticed that he had actually taken notes, his page covered with his handwriting.

_Know-it-all, _she thought to herself. She moved her arm so it hid the page from his view.

Professor Mapps walked up to the chalk board and wrote something in bold print. _Pages 204-260, due Friday, _it read. The class groaned in unison at the reading assignment. Underneath it, Mapps wrote something else: _CRIME. _

He underlined the word three times before setting down his piece of chalk. The room grew silent as Mapps began to slowly pace, his hands clasped together behind his back. His expression was serious, his eyes lost in deep thought. Finally, he turned to face his students.

"Crime," he said, his voice ringing out loud and clear. "Who can give me the official definition?"

A few hands tentatively raised, some going back down. Mapps sighed.

"Crime: an action or an instance of negligence that is deemed injurious to the public welfare or morals or to the interests of the state and that is legally prohibited," Mapps said, answering his own question. He turned on his heel and pointed to a student. "Give me an example of a crime."

The student caught off guard, opened their mouth and let out an unsure, "Um."

"Never mind," Mapps said. He pointed to another student. "You. Give me an example."

"Murder?" the girl in the top row squeaked.

"Not '_murder?'" _Mapps mimicked the girl. He repeated the word, but this time firmly. "Murder. Learn to be sure of yourselves, people. Ah, Mr. Bowler, what would you say motivates a murderer?"

Brynn, as well as the rest of the class, turned in their seats to face Sean Bowler. His face reddened at the sudden attention. He scratched the back of his neck and looked at Professor Mapps unsure.

"You're taking too long to answer," Mapps snapped. He turned his attention elsewhere. "Mr. Crane, motivation, _go."_

Crane, of course, was prepared to answer the professor's question. "Revenge," he said, his voice echoing in the silent room.

Mapps nodded. "Good. Now, why might one want revenge on another individual?"

"There are various reasons for revenge," Crane explained. "Pain inflicted by another is a big cause. A person who feels they were wronged by another may want that other to feel what they are going through. They commit these actions because nothing will satisfy them until that wrongdoer understands their pain. Revenge is an outlet, a way to express one's anger."

Jonathan sat back in his seat and folded his hands in his lap. Brynn had to give it to him: he had made a good point. Mapps seemed to think so because he nodded in approval.

"At least one of my students still gives me hope," Mapps said. "Thank you, Mr. Crane; you had a very good point."

The students seemed to disagree. Whispers and snickers arose from the back of the room, along with piercing glares. Jonathan stared forward, pretending not to notice his fellow classmates. Instead, he picked up his pen and jotted down a few more sentences.

"We will be discussing this topic for the next few weeks. I suggest you read over the material and take as many notes as possible." Brynn hid her blank notebook from her professor's beady eyes as he said this. Mapps turned his back on the class and walked to his desk, picking up a thick stack of papers. "Here are the quizzes from last week."

Mapps began to walk the aisles of the classroom, handing back quizzes face-down. Brynn stared at the floor as she waited for her paper to be handed back. She was hoping for a decent grade, _something_ to help her get by this semester. Anxiously, she drummed her fingertips on the table, the rhythm becoming louder and faster. Jonathan looked over at her in annoyance.

Finally, the professor made his way to Brynn's table. He handed back Jonathan's quiz first, then Brynn's. She stared at it for a moment, too nervous to see what she had gotten. Thinking back to the day of the quiz, Brynn thought she hadn't done _too _horrible. Or was that for her English quiz? Slowly, Brynn picked it up and turned the page over.

Immediately, she slammed it back down. A small squeak escaped her throat, the image of a fat red _F _engraved in her mind. She flipped it over again, her eyes taking in the damned quiz.

Mapps had murdered her quiz; red ink filled every inch of the page, comments written and answers circled. Next to her name, he had written _SEE ME_. The two words were underlined multiple times.

"Ugh," Brynn moaned, the sound pained. She slammed the paper down again and sat back in her seat. Suddenly, the room was too noisy and her head throbbed.

How was she going to explain to her parents she was failing Psychology? There would be absolutely no way to convince her parents to let her drop the course. Her father would push and lecture her to the point of insanity. Brynn could hear his voice in her head.

"You're a Kiley," he would say. The look he saved for his rivals in the business world would be on her at that moment; steel gray eyes would dive into her soul and discover all her secrets. Brynn would shrink away from that powerful gaze as best as she could. "Kiley's do not give up. I suggest you push yourself harder, my dear…"

Those words had been uttered to her countless times. If she tried to argue that she technically _was not _a Kiley would just irritate him further. He would then go on a rant about how they had raised and molded her to be one. She was _expected _to be a Kiley.

Her face rested in her palms. She was running out of options; either she started to take this course a whole lot more seriously or she begged and pleaded with her parents. She highly doubted that the latter would work…

Next to her, Jonathan cleared his throat. Brynn turned to look at him, his eyes devouring a page of his Psychology text book. He seemed so relaxed as he read the theories and ideas of Freud and various others. His chin rested on the back of his hand, while the other hand gently tugged on a long piece of hair. Why couldn't Psychology come to her as easily as it came to him?

An idea hit her. A risky one, but an idea none the less.

Brynn sat up straight and eyed the younger boy. She would need to be careful with this; one wrong word and her hopes of passing this course were gone. If she could convince Jonathan to tutor her once again maybe she would have a chance…

"Jonathan," Brynn said slowly. His eyes remained glued to the page but he cocked his eyebrow, a sign of acknowledgement.

Brynn swallowed. "I desperately need help with this. I know I said on Saturday I didn't want you to help, but I was obviously lying to myself. I don't know _squat_ when it comes to this stuff…"

Jonathan snorted at the last statement in agreement. "Perhaps if you paid attention during class and took proper notes, this wouldn't be so _challenging. _I don't think squiggles and hearts will help you pass."

Self-consciously, Brynn shut her notebook and pushed it aside. "Right. My fault entirely. But, seriously, I need a better explanation on all this. Mapps doesn't have the time of day for me, so he's out of the question for tutoring. I can work around your schedule if that helps."

"I don't remember agreeing to help you," he replied. Jonathan looked up from his book, his blue eyes menacing. "After the way you behaved on Saturday, what makes you think I would even _want _to?"

Her fists clenched and she had to remind herself to keep her cool. "I'll pay double what I was originally going to," she growled through clenched teeth.

"I don't want your money."

Losing her cool, Brynn threw her arms in the air, prepared to rip her hair out. "Jonathan, I'm _begging _you!" She instantly lowered her voice after catching the attention of students around them. "Just one tutoring session to explain the basics. That's all I need. _Please_."

After a long pause, Jonathan smirked. "Fine. Tonight at five in the library. _Do not_ be late or I'll just leave. Understood?"

Brynn stared at him blankly. "So you'll help?"

The boy sighed exasperatedly. "Was that not what I just said?"

Brynn fought the urge to roll her eyes. "Tonight then. Table at the back?"

He nodded and turned back to his book. Brynn sat there awkwardly, unsure of whether or not to say more.

"Thanks," she blurted out. Jonathan looked up and stared at her. His eyes studied her face and he slowly nodded.

Mapps dismissed the class at that moment and Brynn rushed out immediately.

**. . .**

"But _why? _That doesn't make any sense!"

Brynn and Jonathan were seated at the back table, their textbooks opened to the reading assignment Mapps had assigned. Currently, they were arguing about the motives behind a crime. By the looks of it, Jonathan was winning this argument.

"It makes complete sense," Jonathan replied. He was leaning back in his chair, hands folded in his lap, glasses perched on his nose. "Think about it: if someone were to intentionally hurt you or a family member, wouldn't you want them to pay the consequences?"

"No," Brynn argued. "Revenge is wrong and I would just ignore the situation and move on with my life."

"Would you now?"

"Yes."

"I hardly doubt you would forget."

Brynn squirmed in her seat. "Revenge is wrong."

"Is that your only argument?" Jonathan asked.

Self-consciously, Brynn draped her hair over one shoulder, her fingers pulling on the ends. "_No_. But it's a good reason."

Jonathan leaned forward, resting his chin in the palm of his hand. Creepy blue eyes studied her face. "Why is it a good reason?"

"I don't know. I mean, I do. I just don't know how to explain my thoughts."

Jonathan nodded. "Which is why Mapps does not take you seriously. You don't know how to explain yourself or make yourself worth listening to."

"Well, _thanks_," Brynn scoffed.

The boy shrugged. "Just an observation."

"You're not any better," Brynn muttered.

"Mature," Jonathan replied sarcastically. "And in case you have forgotten or just weren't paying attention during class—most likely—Mapps seemed to agree with what I had to say."

Brynn gave up on the argument, slumping in her seat. This tutoring session was getting nowhere. The entire time they had argued and each time Jonathan won the argument.

"Well what are your views on revenge? Why do you think it's right?"

"Revenge is a natural human quality. We cannot put it off nor can we get rid of it. Might as well just let it take its course and deal with those who have wronged us," Jonathan explained.

Had he just implied murder?

Brynn shifted uncomfortably in her seat. _Okay then,_ she thought to herself. His level of creepiness had just reached an all-time high.

Jonathan smirked. "You look horrified."

"What?" Brynn asked, caught off guard.

He rolled his eyes. "You really don't pay attention, do you? I said something that shocked you?"

"Uh, no. I just…I…never mind," she muttered. Brynn looked down at her book and pretended to read a section. She didn't want Jonathan to see how red she was.

From the corner of her eye, she watched Jonathan pull his Psychology textbook towards him. He flipped a few pages and found another section to look over. Then, he pushed the book towards Brynn.

As he opened his mouth, he was interrupted by a chiming noise. A ringtone, Brynn realized. Jonathan looked up at Brynn, annoyed.

"It's not me," Brynn said defensively. Her small phone was tucked away in her pocket, set on vibrate.

Jonathan paused. Slowly, he reached into his khaki pants and pulled out a small flip-phone. Jonathan glanced at the screen and immediately scowled. The device rang a few more times before it finally silenced.

Tucking the phone back in his pocket, Jonathan stood. "I have to go," he muttered. He pointed at the dog-eared textbook in front of Brynn. "Read the assignment."

He spun on his heel and was out the door in a matter of seconds. Brynn remained seated, confused by his sudden absence.

"Alrighty then," Brynn muttered. She collected her things and backed away from the table. On the floor, she saw a ratty messenger bag._ Jonathan's_ bag.

Brynn debated whether or not to bend down and pick it up. To be honest, she was afraid to touch the dirty-looking bag. Who knew what he had hidden in there? But then again, someone could steal the bag and Jonathan would blame _her_ for it.

Finally, Brynn bent down and grabbed the strap of the bag between two fingers. It was heavy and felt like it would snap her fingers off at any moment. Brynn put her book down and grabbed the strap again, this time placing the strap on her shoulder. She wobbled back a bit, unprepared for the weight. How did he manage to carry this thing? It probably weighed more than he did!

Ungracefully, Brynn walked through the library, balancing her bag on one shoulder and Jonathan's on the other. She successfully managed to knock one girl's book off the table as she made her way towards the door. Brynn was pretty sure she heard the girl mutter, "Klutz," under her breath…

Brynn kicked the door open and walked outside. She looked around, hoping Jonathan would still be close by. Unfortunately, he was nowhere to be seen.

"Ugh," Brynn groaned. Maybe he would be walking back for the bag right now?

After waiting a few moments, Brynn gave up. She wobbled back to Brighton Hall with the two bags.

"Wonderful," Brynn muttered bitterly. The last thing she wanted was to be stuck with creepy Jonathan Crane's back pack….

**. . .**

Ten minutes later, Brynn was flipping on the light switch to her room. She used her foot to shut the door behind her. Brynn dropped the two bags on the floor, relieved to have shed the weight. Twice she had stopped on her way home to adjust the two bags, convinced Jonathan's contained stones.

Brynn walked over to her desk and switched the lamp on. Her eyes glanced over the clutter, looking for the sticky-note that had Jonathan's number scribbled down. It must have been buried under the magazines and empty containers of Chinese food. Brynn sighed and began to push everything aside. The small note was buried at the bottom of the pile. A coffee stain had smudged the numbers and Brynn had to squint to read them.

Taking her phone out of her pocket, Brynn dialed Jonathan's area code, paused to look over the number again, and punched in the other seven digits. After hitting the green _call _button, Brynn brought the phone to her ear and waited. It rang several times before sending her to voicemail.

Brynn sighed and tried a second time, hoping he had just been busy and would answer this time. Once again, she went to voicemail. Brynn slammed her phone down and eyed the bag cautiously. What would a boy like Jonathan Crane carry in that bag? Binoculars to spy on oblivious girls? Snakes to stick in the locker room showers? A severed head?

Brynn shivered at the possibilities. She knew she was overreacting and there were probably just school books shoved in there. He had a new one to read every day. But still…

Slowly, Brynn took a step forward. A peak wouldn't hurt, would it? She'd look in quickly then shut it. There was no harm in that.

Reaching a hand out, Brynn gripped the front of the bag and slowly lifted the flap. She inhaled slowly as she lifted…

_Bzzzzz. _

Brynn jumped back from the bag and stumbled onto her bed. She looked around crazily for what had startled her. On her desk, her cell phone's screen lit up.

She reached for her phone and slowly brought it to her ear. "Hello?"

"Brynn, it's your mother," came the voice from the other end of the line.

Instantly, Brynn relaxed. She walked back to her bed and plopped down. "'Ello mum," she said, mimicking a British accent.

Brynn could imagine her mother rolling her eyes at her childish behavior. "Brynn, I need you to come home tomorrow night."

"How come?" she asked.

"Your father's hosting a dinner party with some coworkers and we would enjoy your company," her mother explained.

Brynn stuck her tongue out. A dinner party? She thought that once she moved out, she wouldn't have to attend those stupid things anymore. "I'm busy," Brynn lied.

"Cancel your plans. You shouldn't even have plans in the first place, it's a school night," her mother scolded, treating her as though she was five. "This event is very important to your father and we expect you to be there to support us."

If Brynn was anything like her sister, she would have disobeyed her mother's request and hung up. But Brynn had always been a kiss-up to her parents. Secretly, she had always feared that if she angered them, they would send her back to those wretched foster homes she had lived in as a child. Therefore, she was (somewhat) obedient and remained in her parents' good graces.

"Fiiine. How am I even supposed to get home? You guys didn't let me bring my car, remember?"

"Conrad will pick up you and Cadence and bring you to the house." Although her mother's cool tone remained, Brynn knew her mother was pleased. "Be prepared to leave at three. I need some last minute help around the house."

"Aye aye, Captain," Brynn joked, receiving a sigh from her mother.

"Goodbye Brynn,"she replied. There was a _click _on the other end.

Brynn rolled her eyes and snapped her phone shut. Her mother could be such a sourpuss sometimes. Madelynn Kiley was not as lighthearted as her husband.

Brynn couldn't hold it against her, though. Her mother had been the one to 'save' her from her previous life. There would always be a soft spot in her heart for her mother.

Once again, Brynn glanced at Jonathan's back pack. She got up and shoved it behind her desk and out of sight. The less she looked at it the less tempted she would be to go through it.

Pushing it from her mind, Brynn grabbed her own bag and pulled out the thick Psychology book. She opened it to the page where she and Jonathan left off, hoping to finally grasp the concept of the subject.

It was going to be a long night.

**. . .**

**A/N: Chapter 4 everyone! A special shoutout to foreverellen and ElektraMackenzie for reviewing, as well as those who favorited/followed the story! Your feedback means the world to me and keeps me motivated to write the story. Any advice is welcomed, even if it is just to criticize all my errors. I want to know what you guys think so I can fix anything that is wrong with the story. Ideas are also welcomed; I'd like to know what you guys would like to see. So keep those reviews coming!**

**As you can see, I've decided to keep the story from a third person point of view. I think what I'm going to do is divide the story into parts (not separate stories. For example, chapters 1 through so and so will be part 1 and chapters so and so through so and so will be other parts). Right now (part 1), the story is based off of Brynn's thoughts and experiences. I'm planning on basing part 2 off of Jonathan's experience. I'll go back and edit so it makes more sense. After part 2, the story will probably just go back and forth between Brynn and Jonathan. **

**Anyway, keep the feedback coming! I'm hoping to have Chapter 5 up sometime next week. Probably not early in the week, but definitely around Saturday. My workload for school is crazy Monday and Tuesday, so thankfully Thanksgiving break starts Wednesday. Okay, this is a really long A/N so I'll stop rambling. Thanks for reading!**


	5. Chapter 5

_As the days passed, Olivia began to lose her sanity._

_Small things set her off; the volume set too high on the TV, her daughter's constant babbling, the noises from the outside world. Olivia tried her hardest to keep herself busy. The less she thought about Charlie's absence, the less irritated she was. She had scrubbed every inch of the apartment multiple times since her lover had left and the home reeked of cleaning products. The windows were cracked to rid the apartment of the overpowering scent. It was beginning to give Olivia a headache. _

_The throbbing in her head had steadily increased. Olivia massaged her temples gently. The pressure on the sides of her head only made her headache worsen. She walked over to a window and opened it all the way. Cool air rushed in and Olivia inhaled greedily. _

_Her black eyes took in the street far below. The cars were miniscule from this height. Olivia hung around the windows more often, hoping to catch a glimpse of Charlie walking home. There was nothing more she desired than a glimpse of his strawberry blonde head. _

_Something was wrong. Charlie would have contacted her by now. It was unusual for him not to, especially when he was gone for such a long period. _

_Gray clouds loomed overhead. Olivia pressed her forehead against the cool glass. A phone call from Charlie was all she wanted. _

_Behind her, her small child sat on the floor. The girl was on her stomach, coloring book and crayons spread out before her. Her long hair covered her face as she sloppily colored in the picture, loudly humming some song from a Disney princess movie. Olivia shushed the girl. _

_Her thoughts traveled back a few weeks ago. Charlie was on a business trip that weekend, leaving the two girls to behind. Olivia had just put her daughter to bed when the phone rang._

_Olivia picked up the telephone, expecting it to be Charlie. "Hello?" she said brightly, hints of her Spanish accent leaking into her voice. _

_Silence. Olivia pressed her ear harder against the phone. She swore she could hear someone breathing. "Hello, hellooo?"_

_Someone inhaled sharply. Finally, a hoarse, female voice replied._

"Whore," _the woman whispered, her voice shaky. There was a muffled sound and then a _click, _indicating the call had ended. The phone dropped to the floor and Olivia stood there frozen._

_She hadn't told Charlie about the call. She hoped it had only been a prank call or a wrong number. But Olivia knew better than that. Most likely it had been Charlie's wife…_

_Honking cars below brought Olivia back to reality. She should have told Charlie…_

_The little girl was singing louder, making Olivia's headache worsen. _

"Chica," _Olivia said firmly, referring to her daughter by her nickname. "Hush."_

_Olivia walked over to the television and switched it on. The news flicked on, a gray haired news anchor covering a story about Carmine Falcone and his growing drug empire._

_Olivia focused on the screen, hoping to distract herself from the memory. Her fists clenched when she heard the girl singing again. _

"Niña. Está silencio_," she growled. The girl looked up, her black eyes studying her mother's face. She looked back down. _

_Olivia looked back to the screen and focused on the news anchor's mouth. Her face was on fire and she was beginning to sweat. Charlie's absence was making her physically _ill.

_The child's singing started up again, increasingly growing louder and louder until she was belting out the tune. _

_Olivia lost it._

_She leapt from the couch and grabbed her daughter by her wrist, twisting her around to face her. The girl looked up at her, surprised and frightened by her mother's sudden roughness. _

"Brynn María Branden! Shut. Up!" _Olivia screeched, her accent taking over._

_Olivia stood over her daughter, her chest rising and falling. Brynn stared up at her, wide black eyes filled with horror. Her bottom lip began to tremble. _

_Behind them, Olivia heard the news anchor speak. _

"_We have some breaking news, Gotham City. Charles Branden, CEO of Branden Corp. was found dead this afternoon. The cause of death has not yet been released. Mr. Branden leaves behind his wife, Adele Branden. We send the family our most sincere condolences."_

_Olivia froze. Slowly she turned her head to the television. A picture of Charlie filled the screen; underneath was his date of birth and date of death._

_Charlie was dead._

_Dead. _

_Charlie…was…_dead.

_Olivia collapsed on top of her daughter and let out a low, animal like sound, full of heartbreak and hopelessness._

_Life as she knew it was over._

**. . .**

By the end of the night, Brynn had given up on Psychology. She slammed her book shut around ten and opened her laptop, playing online poker until one thirty.

Once again, she overslept and arrived at Psychology class with a minute to spare. The two bags, one of them Jonathan's, made the walk to her desk awkward and difficult. She dropped the bag to the floor when she realized Jonathan's seat was empty.

The boy didn't show up to class and Brynn was forced to lug his damn bag around campus all day. In her Spanish Culture and Civ class, she managed to whack a member of the football team in the face with Jonathan's bag. _That _ended badly. By her last class of the day, Brynn ended up taking two trips up the stairs, bringing one bag at a time.

When class was dismissed, Brynn dragged her load down the stairs. It was currently two, so she had an hour to pack a few things before Conrad picked her up. Most likely she would end up spending the night at her old house.

Which meant she was stuck with Jonathan's bag for another night.

_Wonderful…_

Brighton Hall, which was usually a ten minute walk from the building, turned into a twenty minute hike. Brynn dragged the bags on the ground behind her, no doubt collecting dirt and trash as she went. Students stared as she walked by, some nudging each other.

Deciding to make the walk shorter, Brynn cut across the Campus Green. Within a few seconds she realized that was a huge mistake. The sprinklers must have gone off earlier, the yellowing grass slick with water droplets.

A loud groan escaped Brynn's mouth. The universe was out to get her today. She bent down and slung the strap of Jonathan's bag on her shoulder. As her luck would have it, the bottom of the bag was soaked. She could only hope whatever was in it had not been drenched as well.

Not caring whether or not her bag got wet, Brynn began to walk again, leaning awkwardly to the side due to the weight of the bag on her shoulder. The wetness of the grass made it easier to drag her bag, the heavy sack sliding over the damp surface. Upon reaching the middle of the Campus Green, Brynn noticed a presence behind her.

Still somewhat spooked from what had happened over the weekend, Brynn snapped her neck to the side. She winced; this paranoia was bound to give her whiplash. Dominic Langston trailed behind, his brows knit together.

"Dom," she greeted him. Brynn paused for a moment to adjust the strap of the bag on her shoulder. Her hair had gotten caught underneath and she could feel it slowly pulling out of her scalp.

The blonde boy nodded. "Going on a cross country trip, Brynn?"

"Shut. Up," Brynn growled. She was jerked to a halt suddenly. Her bag had gotten stuck to something in the grass. Brynn gave it a hard tug and it lurched forward. A large root belonging to a nearby tree had been the culprit. Stupid root…

"Seriously, why do you have two bags? Sydney kick you out or something?" Dominic asked.

"_No_. My tutor forgot it last night and he didn't show up today so I've been dragging it around."

Brynn stepped off the lawn and onto to the sidewalk. In front of her was a menacing staircase that led to the campus dorms.

"Oh, you have _got _to be kidding me," Brynn cried. There was _no way _she was carrying both bags up there.

Thankfully, Dominic took Jonathan's bag and slung it over his own shoulder. The weight didn't seem to faze him. "I didn't know you had a tutor. I thought the Kiley clan was a bunch of rocket scientists."

Brynn sighed. Her parents and siblings were geniuses, all of them once valedictorians in high school. Despite the fact that her parents had spent hundreds, if not _thousands_ of dollars, on tutors to help her catch up with the rest of the kids in her grade, Brynn hadn't inherited the 'brainiac' gene from her biological parents. There were still some topics she could not grasp for the life of her that most people her age easily understood. Psychology being one of those topics…

Dominic realized he had hit a soft spot so he didn't talk about the tutoring anymore. Dominic was one of the few people who knew Brynn's background story. Just about everyone knew she was adopted, but few knew the whole story.

They reached Brighton Hall and Dominic carefully placed the bag on Brynn's shoulder. "Don't trip," he joked.

Brynn stuck her tongue out at her friend. "_Hasta la vista_, Langston."

Dominic walked away, lifting two fingers as he left. "_Ciao."_

Once she was in her room, Brynn threw the two bags on the floor and lifted her sore arms above her head and stretched. She sighed and lazily looked around the room. The clock by her bed read _2:23. _Conrad would there soon to pick her up.

Brynn opened her back pack and spilled its contents on the floor. Papers and textbooks landed in a giant heap at her feet. Brynn put the bag on her bed and walked to her dresser, taking out a t-shirt, pajama pants, and a change of underwear. She opened a different drawer and pulled out a red sweater dress and black leggings. The boots that went with the outfit were back in her closet at home so she didn't have to worry about shoes. After collecting a few things from the bathroom, Brynn zipped the bag shut and plopped down on her bed.

Reaching into the pocket of her sweatpants, Brynn pulled out her phone and flipped it open. Zero missed calls. Zero texts. Nada.

Brynn groaned. Where was Jonathan? She just wanted to get rid of his stupid bag already. If she had to carry it around one more day, she swore she would—

A loud knock caught her off guard. Brynn shot up and stared at the door.

"_Brynn," _a muffled voice came from the other side of the door.

She recognized her brother's deep voice and called for him. "It's unlocked."

The door swung open and Conrad walked in. His gray eyes swept over the room and he frowned in distaste. "Haven't cleaned lately, huh?"

"Nice to see you, too. I'm fine by the way," Brynn said. Her older brother simply rolled his eyes. He reached down and pulled his sister into a bear hug, crushing her lungs.

"Can't…breathe…" Brynn choked.

Conrad squeezed tighter. Finally, he released her and she stumbled back. Brynn caught herself before she managed to fall on the floor.

Conrad grinned at her, his perfect teeth gleaming. He nodded towards the door. "C'mon. Cadie's waiting in the car."

Brynn grabbed her bag off the bed and followed Conrad out the door, locking it behind them. Hopefully Sydney had not forgotten her key to get back in. Otherwise, the girl would be forced to sleep outside in the hallway. But then again, Sydney rarely spent the night in their dorm. These days, she was sleeping in some random boy's bed, contracting God knows what…

The siblings walked outside and around the building to the parking lot in the back. Conrad's black Lexus was already unlocked, the engine running. Brynn opened the door and ducked into the back seat, Cadence occupying the front seat. By the expression on her face, Brynn could tell she was far from thrilled to be going home.

"Excited, Cadence?!" Brynn asked, her tone overly excited.

Cadence turned around in her seat and glared at her little sister. "The minute Mother starts something, I'm gone."

Conrad turned around in his seat, checking for oncoming traffic. He put the car in reverse, slowly pulling out of the spot. The car braked suddenly as a cherry red pickup truck came speeding down the road.

"Oh, Cadie, she's not that bad," Brynn said, taking her mother's side. There was no doubt Cadence and their mother's relationship was strained. It had been that way for as long as Brynn could remember. Over the years, she had become accustomed to the constant screaming between the two women.

Cadence scoffed. "Easy for _you_ to say. She adores you and Connie. That witch hates me."

Wanting to avoid an argument, Conrad turned the radio on. He fumbled with the stations, trying to find a good song.

Brynn leaned back in her seat and stared out the window. Gotham University was left behind as they drove through the city and made their way to the highway.

**. . .**

An hour later, Conrad flicked on his turn signal and steered the car onto their street. Extravagant homes with manicured front lawns flashed by as Conrad drove down the road. Oak trees occupied either side, shading the car from the late afternoon sun.

As Conrad drove up the hill, Brynn couldn't help but feel anxious. For weeks she had desired nothing more to return to the place she once called "home."

The Lexus slowed and pulled into the winding driveway that led to the Kileys' home, the last house on the street. Shrubs and trees obscured the home from the rest of the street and only the roof could be seen to passerby. The foliage spit the vehicle out and into the large driveway in front of the home.

Conrad parked the car in front of the house. The elder siblings immediately jumped out, leaving their little sister. Brynn's hand found the door handle, her clammy palms making it slick. Slowly, she pushed the door open and stepped out.

The house was exactly how she remembered it. A beautiful three-story mansion, painted a color that reminded Brynn of the beaches of Jamaica. Windows lined the building, their white shutters standing out against the sand colored paint. The front door, a magnificent shade of red, was housed under an archway supported by white columns. The four-car garage was attached to the left side of the building, its doors painted the color of snow. To the right of the building were miles and miles of wooded area.

Brynn let out an appreciative sigh. _Home, sweet home. _

The front door had been left opened. Brynn stepped into the foyer, greeted by the aroma of lavender and pumpkin pie. Her eyes swept over the room; the living room was to her left and her father's home office to the right. Before her was the winding staircase, its iron wrought railing looking just as it had when she left. The walls, painted to match the outside of the house, were lined with family pictures.

So far, no one had come to greet her. She figured her parents and the housekeepers were preparing for the night's events, too busy to bother with her homecoming. They would come looking for her soon, probably to chastise her about not finding them and offering to help clean the house. For the time being she would just wait around in her room.

Brynn kicked her shoes off and left them by the front door. She slowly walked up the staircase, her eyes taking in the family pictures. A pang of jealousy washed over her. The first few photographs lining the wall were from her siblings' baby days. A chubby-faced Conrad laughed at her, his eyes gleaming. Cadence, sporting bangs and clad in a pink tutu and leotard, smiled wide for the camera. The first picture of Brynn on the wall had been taken when she was eleven.

She paused to inspect the photograph. This younger Brynn was much thinner, due to the malnutrition she had received in foster care. Her short, reddish-blonde hair stuck up at odd angles and just barely touched her jawline. One of her biggest flaws at the time had been her teeth. The two rows of tiny teeth had been jacked up. If Brynn looked closely, she could see the large gap in her mouth where her first bottom molar should have been. To this day, she still could vividly remember it being knocked out when one of her foster brothers had chucked a baseball at her face. Instinctively, Brynn ran her tongue over the fake molar that had taken its place.

Thank God for orthodontists.

Young Brynn stared back at her, black eyes wide. Out of all her features, Brynn despised her eyes the most. Not only were they unsettling, but she had inherited them from her _mother. _The few memories she had left of the woman were vague but she would never forget those eyes.

Brynn turned away from the photo before she could call upon old demons. Over the years, she had learned to block the memories, only calling on them when she wanted to…which was hardly ever. The past was behind her now. That wretched life she had been given was replaced by her new one, full of opportunities and love.

She couldn't help but take one last look at the picture. Once again, black irises stared back at her.

She would never forgive her mother for the hell she was put through as a child.

Brynn pushed the dark thoughts away and took the stairs two at a time. Her room was the first one at the top of the staircase. She pushed the door open and entered the dark room. Fumbling around for the light switch, Brynn ran her hands over the wall. The light flicked on. Brynn investigated the room and was pleased to see it was exactly how she had left it.

It was a simple room, nothing extraordinary about it. Her carpet had been white once upon a time, but due to sleepovers and midnight snacks, was now a light shade of gray with freckles of other colors. In the corner, was her bed with its periwinkle comforter and mountain of stuffed animals. In an attempt to be creative, she had strung Christmas lights around the bedposts. She had gotten the idea from a catalogue and had spent a good chunk of time trying to get the lights to stay on the bed. Hers ended up being droopy and hung to the floor.

Above the bed was a corkboard covered with pictures of her and her friends as well as cutouts, drawings, and inspirational quotes. On the wall farthest from her was a floor to ceiling bookshelf, crammed with her favorite books, movies, and CDs. Few knew Brynn actually _read _and were quite shocked when they saw the collection for the first time.

Brynn was happy to see her habitat hadn't changed in the slightest. She had been filled with fear that her mother would end up turning it into a storage room. That had been the case when Cadence left for college...

Needless to say, the two screamed at each other for hours. The brawl had gotten to the point of being so bad, Mr. Kiley and Brynn ended up escaping the house to see a movie and have dinner. The last thing they wanted was to be sucked into World War III.

Speaking of which, where were her parents? She had expected them to yell for her to come downstairs by now. Suspicious, Brynn walked out of her room and looked over the railing of the staircase. The foyer was empty and she couldn't pick up the sound of people talking.

Deciding to investigate, Brynn made her way downstairs and walked through the hallway that led to the kitchen. One of the housekeepers, Ines, was in there, occupied with frosting a cake. Her brows were knit together as she focused on the intricate patterns she was designing.

"Nezzy," Brynn said, referring to the woman by her nickname. "_Donde est__á__n mis padres_?"

The woman looked up at her in surprise. "_No, lo siento_. _Ellos podrían estar en la oficina_?"

"_Gracias," _Brynn replied. Halfway out the door, Ines called for her to come back.

"Ooh, ooh!" The little woman exclaimed. She held a tiny pastry out. "Try."

Brynn graciously accepted the delicacy and took a bite. Her taste buds were overwhelmed by its rich, savory flavor. "Mmm, _muy bien! Gracias, _Nezzy_."_

The woman waved goodbye and went back to decorating the cake. Brynn walked out of the kitchen, taking another bite of the dessert. What was this thing? It tasted like heaven!

The office doors were closed. Brynn pressed her ear against the mahogany door. Inside, she heard her parents speaking in hushed whispers.

"Why is Ad…Ley invited?" her mother hissed.

"…works for the company. Trevor insisted…can't…thing about it," was her father's hushed reply.

What her mother said next Brynn wasn't able to catch. Her father replied with a stern, "I can't just uninvite her."

The door opened suddenly and Brynn stumbled into her mother. Madelynn looked at her with distaste. "I hope you weren't planning on wearing_ that_ tonight."

Brynn looked down at the green t-shirt she was wearing. The dessert she'd been chowing down on had been smooshed onto her shirt, leaving a large stain on her right boob. Without thinking, Brynn brushed the crumbs onto the floor.

"Oh, come on, Brynn, I just cleaned up in here!" George Kiley complained.

"Sorry," she muttered as she bent down to pick up the crumbs. Whatever the two had been arguing about before had been long forgotten; their expressions were unreadable as they watched their daughter clean up her mess.

George stood and ushered the two out. "I have work to finish up," he muttered before slamming the door shut.

Madelynn replaced the seething expression with a blank, cool stare. Her sharp eyes took in Brynn's appearance, noting the messy bun and ratty sweatpants she wore. Compared to the chic style Madelynn adorned, Brynn looked like a homeless person.

"I hope you don't go to your classes looking like that," Madelynn muttered, her eyes burning holes into the old sweatpants.

"No," Brynn lied. "Just for the ride home."

Madelynn nodded slowly, unconvinced about her daughter's wardrobe choices. Upstairs, a door slammed shut and the sound of the shower running could be heard. "Where is your sister?"

"Probably hiding," said Brynn, instantly regretting her choice of words.

"Wouldn't surprise me," Madelynn replied, unfazed by her elder daughter's loathing for her. "How immature of her."

Brynn pushed a stray lock of hair out of her face. "I'm sure she'll come down eventually."

The woman shrugged. "Let her hide up there. Less screaming and whining for me to deal with." Madelynn sniffed. Instantly, her face puckered up, as though she had taken a bite of a lemon. "Oh, God, Brynn, go take a shower or something. You smell like a college student."

Madelynn fanned the air around her and coughed. Pivoting on her heel, she strutted off to the kitchen, her heeled boots clicking on the hardwood floor.

Brynn gingerly lifted her collar to her nose and sniffed. "I do _not _smell," Brynn muttered to herself. After a moment she added, "_That _bad."

**. . .**

The room was filled with middle aged men wearing business suits and ties as well as woman in smart dresses and pencils skirts. Someone had put a CD in the stereo and light piano music played from the speakers. Appetizers had been set out on trays and glasses were filled to the brim with rosé.

In the middle of the room, George and Madelynn were entertaining their guests. The two of them wore large smiles and laughed at all the bad jokes George's business partner, Trevor, made. Conrad talked with a group of men, discussing politics and his plans for med school. In the corner, Cadence was recalling a story from her mission trip to Africa to her father's secretary, her eyes wide and waving her hands around animatedly. The woman was completely engrossed as Cadence told her tale.

And where was Brynn?

By the food table, of course.

When it came to her parents' social gatherings, she stayed as far away as possible. If approached by another, Brynn knew when to smile, when to gasp, and how to keep a light conversation going. Unlike her siblings, Brynn did not approach the adults in the room on her own. Usually she stood off to the side, observing the people around her, sometimes eavesdropping on conversations.

And of course, stuffing her face with the tiny puff pastries Ines had whipped up. Damn, they were good.

From the other side of the room, Brynn made eye contact with her father. He saw his daughter standing to the side like a loner and frowned. _Be social, _he mouthed.

Brynn rolled her eyes at her father and turned away. She reached for the plate and grabbed (her sixth) puff pastry and shoved it into her mouth. To her dismay, the snack fell apart when she took a bite and crumbs landed all over the front of her sweater dress. Brynn frowned and picked the tiny crumbs off, only to have them crumble into tinier pieces. _Greeeat._

As she wiped the remaining crumbs onto the floor, a delicate finger tapped her on the shoulder. Brynn jumped in surprise, bumping her hip against the table. The contents shook slightly, dangerously close to tipping over. Some liquids splashed onto the table cloth, quickly staining the linen material.

"Oh gosh, I'm so sorry!" A tall blonde woman exclaimed. She pressed her hand to her chest and smiled softly. "I didn't mean to frighten you."

By now, Brynn's face was as red as her dress. Her cheeks burned with embarrassment. Quickly, she swallowed the remaining food in her mouth.

"Don't worry about it," she coughed. "My fault entirely."

"Don't blame yourself, I shouldn't have snuck up on you," the woman apologized. "Your George's daughter, right? Cadence?"

"George's daughter, yes. Cadence, no," Brynn replied. She nodded in the direction of her sister. "Cadence is over there. I'm Brynn, the other daughter."

"Once again, my apologies." The woman stuck her hand out. "Adele Worley. I work for Reizer, Inc."

"Your company just merged with my father's, right?" Brynn asked. Reizer, Inc. had been the rival of her father's pharmaceutical company for the last few years. The two companies had recently signed a deal, agreeing to become Kiley-Reizer, Inc. The deal would make them the largest, most powerful pharmaceutical company in the country. As of now, the two were still separate, finalizing some last minute contracts and deals.

"That's right. I look forward to working with your father."

Brynn smiled. "He's good at what he does, that's for sure."

Adele nodded in agreement. "So tell me about yourself, Brynn. I hear you're attending Gotham University?"

"Yeah, I'm a freshman."

"And how do you like it?"

Brynn shrugged. "It's not what I had hoped for. I want to transfer to Hadley next semester, though I doubt my dad will let me."

"That's too bad. I was like that. I originally went to Harvard but I hated it. I ended up switching to Colombia after a few weeks," Adele explained.

"Harvard, wow. That's pretty impressive," Brynn said to the woman. She had to admit, Adele didn't look like the Harvard type. More like a socialite or a housewife, not a pharmaceutical rep who went to Harvard.

Adele shrugged. "They were too serious for my liking. Are you studying medicine at Gotham?"

Brynn snorted. "God, no. I have no interest in going into the medical field."

"Business, then?"

Brynn shook her head. She shifted her weight to her left foot, then back to her right. "No, not business. At the moment, I'm undecided."

"Do you have any particular interest in a certain field or subject?"

"Uh, kind of. Not really. I like foreign languages and traveling. Literature too, especially mythology. Greek and Roman, to be specific. For a while, I considered studying human behavior and criminology. I'm really into all those crime shows where they have to solve a murder. I doubt I'll end up taking that road, though," Brynn explained.

To her surprise, Adele had been intrigued by what she had to say. Most of the people her parents worked with usually zoned out whenever she told them about her college plans.

"I'm not going to lie to you, Brynn, you seem like a very interesting girl. Most people your age narrow their interests down to one thing, but you seem to have a taste for everything. I'd love to get together sometime and have a cup of coffee," Adele said.

Before Brynn could reply, Madelynn Kiley walked up to the two women. Her sharp eyes were on Adele's face, studying the woman's features. A hint of something gleamed in her eyes, though Brynn was unsure of what emotion it was.

"Adele," her mother said, a tight smile on her face. "I hadn't realized you were coming."

"I thought I'd surprise you," Adele joked. A mischievous smile lit up her aging, yet gorgeous, face. "I was just talking to your daughter, Brynn. I hadn't realized she was such a worldly girl. You and George must be proud."

An arm wrapped around Brynn and pulled her close to Madelynn's body. The gesture was forceful, protective, even. "Indeed. She's turned out lovely over the last few years."

Adele nodded in agreement. Her blue eyes swept over the room and landed on Mr. Kiley. "I should go say hello to your husband and thank him for inviting me. I won't be able to stay for dinner. Work calls," Adele laughed lightly. She turned back to Brynn and smiled. "My offer still stands if you're interested sometime. I would love to get to know you better."

Adele waltzed away and waved at Brynn's father. Madelynn gripped Brynn's arm and spun her around.

"What were you and Adele Worley talking about, Brynn?" her mother inquired, her brown eyes searching her daughter's face.

Brynn pulled her arm back from Madelynn's tight grip. "She was just asking me about college and stuff like that. What was that all about? You two have bad blood or something?"

Her mother's eyes narrowed. "It is none of your concern. But I do not want you socializing with her. Do you understand?"

Brynn muttered in reply and stared at the ground. Madelynn's hand shot out again and squeezed Brynn's arm.

"_Do you understand, Brynn?"_ her mother hissed.

Brynn reeled away, her eyes dark and warning. "Don't. Grab. Me," Brynn growled quietly. She gave her mother an accusing glare. "You of all people should know better than that."

The two of them remained frozen in defensive stances. After a few tense seconds, Madelynn sighed. She tentatively rested her hand on her daughter's arm, afraid she might snap at any moment. "You're right. I'm sorry, sweetheart."

Brynn looked away, fighting back tears. "I won't go near her again," she said quietly.

Madelynn smiled softly. "Thank you, dear. Who's my favorite girl?"

Unable to make eye contact, Brynn let out a quiet reply. "Me."

"Always have and always will be," Madelynn said softly. She turned back to her guests. "Dinner will be served shortly. Until then, I need to entertain the guests."

Brynn nodded and watched as her mother returned to her guests. Always a suck-up, always would be. From the corner of her eye, she saw Cadence staring at her. The older girl quickly smiled but there was no denying the jealousy in her eyes. The biological daughter should be the favorite. Not the adopted one.

Brynn sighed and pushed everything out of her mind. She plastered on the fake Kiley smile and tried her best to strike up a conversation with the other guests.

**. . .**

**A/N: Chapter 5:) A special shout out to killerxcatch, Musicaddict1, TymanTB, BatmanPirates, and ShawneeSavage for reviewing! The reviews are greatly appreciated and your opinions help immensely. Also, since there's some Spanish in the story now, I'd be grateful if you could point out any errors I have made or just offer your help in case I need something translated. My Spanish is decent, nothing great, and I don't want to use online translators since they're inaccurate. Sooo yeah, help is appreciated!**

**Another thing I wanted to say. Actually, two things. First: In case any of you were confused about the story in italics, I hope this chapter kind of explained it. The story in italics is based on Brynn's earlier life in foster care, living with her biological parents (Olivia and Charlie), as well as a few other events. I've mentioned in the story quite a few times that Brynn is adopted and that while living in foster care, she had it pretty rough. That part of the story is being explained in the italics. **

**The second thing: Brynn. After going back through the story, I realized I haven't done a very good job at describing Brynn's character. That's actually one of my flaws as a writer. I don't get as in depth with a character as I should, so I'm working on it. So here's my description of Brynn: she's nineteen years old, has very dark eyes, and strawberry-blonde hair that goes a little past her shoulders. She's about 5'5 with stubby legs, strong arms, and a bit of a stomach. Not much, but it's not flat. Brynn isn't gorgeous and she isn't ugly either. Decent looking, I would say. At the moment, Brynn is supposed to be immature, insecure, and a "follower." She isn't entirely sure where she fits in and is going through that phase where she wants to be friends with the popular kids, but at the same time doesn't. Brynn grew up in a clique-y atmosphere, so she can be a bit of a bitch sometimes. It's how she learned to behave after being adopted. She denies being that way, but Jonathan pointed it out, and well, Jonathan's never wrong.** **As the story goes on, her character will eventually drift away from that type of girl. **

**Okay. Super long author's note. I'll stop now. Chapter six will hopefully be up before the end of break but we shall see. AND DON'T WORRY. Jonathan will be back in the next chapter:). Review please!**


	6. Chapter 6

The morning after the party, Brynn was forced to wake up at six in order to drive back to the University and be on time to class. During the ride home, Brynn fell in and out of consciousness. The previous night, a nightmare had tormented her, one she hadn't had since she was a child. Only fragments of the dream could be remembered. She had been hiding under a table, her hands pressed to her ears. Outside the ratty apartment building, gunshots could be heard, as well as screaming and the wailing of police cars.

The door had been broken down and a man walked in, his face shadowed by his hood. After that, Brynn couldn't remember anything. The dream had played out that way in the past as well, always ending when the man entered the room.

Brynn was awakened when she felt the car jerk to a stop. Her tired eyes opened and she looked around her. In front of the car was Brighton Hall. The building was dark in the early morning hours and looked more like a haunted house than a dorm hall. In her hazy state, Brynn mumbled farewell to her siblings and stumbled out of the car and up to her room.

As expected, Sydney's bed was empty. Brynn kicked her shoes off and face planted onto her bed. Skipping Psychology was an option for Brynn at the moment. She felt like a bag of sand, heavy and unmoving.

Brynn opened her eyes for a brief moment and scowled. At the foot of her bed was Jonathan Crane's messenger bag. Over the course of the night, Brynn had forgotten that she needed to return it to him. She let out a long sigh.

"Guess I'm going to Psychology," Brynn muttered into her pillow, then pushed herself up to get ready for class.

With about an hour to spare, Brynn flopped back down on the bed and eyed the bag warily. The tattered bag looked as though it would fall to pieces at any moment. How did Jonathan carry everything in that? Was he even _capable_ of carrying it? And what on earth did he keep in there?

The last thought caused Brynn to sit up. She looked around the room before slowly inching towards it. _Just one peak_, she told herself.

She bent down and lifted the flap, her eyes taking everything in. So far she hadn't found any severed heads or weapons. They could be hiding in the bottom of the bag…

_Curiosity killed the cat_, her conscience whispered to her.

"But satisfaction brought it back," Brynn murmured.

She dumped out the contents of the bag.

And released a sigh.

Just as she had expected: Psychology books as well as other textbooks, pens, paper, a calculator, and notebooks. To her surprise, Jonathan kept a Rubik's cube in his bag. Brynn picked it up, her eyes investigating the tiny cube. The colorful squares, now worn down to feint colors, were mixed. Obviously he used it often. Brynn couldn't help but imagine Jonathan vigorously twisting and turning the rows, his face scrunched as he tried to solve it. The thought made her smirk. Her eyes swept over the text books, impressed by the thick reading material. Jonathan Crane was a genius by the looks of it. All types of math and science books were displayed before her.

Calculus? Economics? _Advanced Chemistry? _Geez.

No wonder Einstein made her feel like a complete dimwit.

Brynn began to stuff Jonathan's things back into his bag, hoping he wouldn't notice that she had rummaged through it. A small black notebook at the bottom of the pile caught her attention.

Unlike his other notebooks, this one was unmarked. Brynn picked it up and opened it to a random page. Jonathan's slanted cursive covered the page.

_January 8__th__, 1994_

_Subject Name: Stacey Fields_

_Occupation: Student_

_Mood: Seems depressed, possibly over breakup with Andy Shepard, irritable_

_Subject has been in a despondent mood for the last few days, perhaps due to the break up between her and Andy Shepard. Irritability levels are high and subject will easily snap at anyone. During the lunch period, while observing test subject, Miss Fields had a "childish temper tantrum" and doused said boyfriend in chocolate milk…_

Brynn stopped reading and stared at the wall blankly.

What the hell?

Was this some kind of…diary? Who were these people and why was Jonathan _spying _on them?

Brynn flipped to a different page, overwhelmed by curiosity.

_September 9__th__, 1994_

_Subject Name: Rosco Creagh_

_Occupation: Student_

_Mood: Cocky, violent, overly prideful_

_Today, the subject has expressed cockiness and sheer pride over pushing observer into the fountain. This was followed with a harsh beating and the subject yelling repeatedly, "Take that, queer!" After showing his "dominance," the subject stole the observer's lunch money for that week and went on his way…_

Brynn looked up from the passage and frowned. Rosco Creagh? She had never heard of him but assumed he went to the University since this had been written about a week before. Did that make Jonathan the "observer?" Had Jonathan actually been beaten up and he proceeded to write about it?

For a moment, Brynn felt sympathetic for the younger boy. Just by looking at him, she had been able to tell he did not have many friends and was probably picked on. She hadn't realized he was getting pushed into _fountains _and called a _queer. _

A thought came to her then and Brynn flipped through the September entries. Her fears became a reality when she saw her name written in Jonathan's handwriting.

_September 13__th__, 1994_

_Subject: Brynn Kiley_

_Occupation: Student, currently tutored under observer_

_Mood: distressed, confused_

_Professor Mapps talked me into tutoring this subject. Claims she could truly understand the material if she tried. I, the observer, find that highly unlikely. During our tutoring session, she behaved in an immature and rude manner. I found the subject to be childish and obnoxious. Further investigation proved her to be quite insecure and she is constantly questioning me on why I do not worship the ground she walks upon…_

Brynn's jaw dropped to the floor. _Constantly questioning me on why I do not worship the ground she walks upon?_

"What the _hell_?!" Brynn whisper-screamed. She asked him why he didn't _like_ her, not why he didn't think of her as a goddess or something like that!

Brynn shut the book hard and growled in annoyance. Jonathan had gone from being creepy to freakazoid in a matter of minutes. Stalking people and writing down their actions? Who _does _that?

Stuffing the book into the bag, Brynn stood up and slung it over her shoulder. Jonathan would be receiving a load of crap today, even if it meant revealing she had gone through his things…

**. . .**

Brynn sulked into class, her mood still sour from reading Jonathan's "diary." About several others lounged in their seats some with their heads down. Mapps was at his desk, organizing his lecture notes. He looked up and gave Brynn a surprised look. On a normal day, Brynn would be rushing into class at the very last moment.

Jonathan's seat was empty. The heavy bag dropped from Brynn's shoulder and she sighed. If she had to lug it around for another day, she'd lose her mind…

Brynn dropped into the blue plastic seat and slouched. Her body ached and her eyes drooped from lack of sleep. It was clear that coming to Psychology had been a mistake. Sitting through one of Mapps' utterly confusing lectures seemed unbearable.

Class didn't start for another fifteen minutes according to the clock. Brynn shrugged out of her jacket and put it before her, intending to use it as a pillow. She rested her head and closed her eyes, welcoming the darkness that followed.

She fell into one of those half-way sleeps; not out but not entirely aware either. She could still hear the sound of people talking but their conversations were blurred and seemed far off. The sound of footsteps coming closer could be heard but was disregarded.

A loud thud caused Brynn to flinch. Alarmed by the sound, Brynn lifted her head and looked around.

Jonathan had arrived.

The younger boy was sorting through his things, his head down. A smaller backpack had taken the place of his messenger bag. He rifled through it, pulling out a notebook and pen.

Brynn cleared her throat. "You forgot your bag in the library."

Jonathan paused and looked at the ratty bag sitting in his seat. His attention went back to his other backpack.

"You're welcome," Brynn scoffed.

This time he looked up at her. Heavy bags were under his eyes and his skin was breaking out. His blue eyes were bloodshot but still held their cold edge.

"_Thank you_," he said tightly.

Brynn shrugged. "I mean, it's not like I carried it around for two days or any—"

She jumped in her seat when Jonathan slammed his hands against the table. His nostrils were flared and his eyes wild.

_Woah._

Deciding it was best to shut up, Brynn turned away and pretended to look for something in her bag. Next to her, Jonathan slumped in his seat and stared straight ahead. His hands were fidgeting, clasping and unclasping. It looked as though he was trying to hold something back.

_This kid has some serious issues, _Brynn thought to herself.

The clock on the wall was ticking loudly. _8:50, _it read. Ten more minutes until class started. Seventy minutes until she would be out of there. Three hours and ten minutes until lunch…

Next to her, Jonathan inhaled sharply. His messenger bag was opened wide and his eyes were searching it wildly.

Oh _shit. _

Brynn watched from the corner of her eye, frozen. Jonathan was digging through the bag, his lips pressed together. Had she left something out when she went through it? Was the journal still in her dorm room?

Suddenly, Jonathan relaxed. He closed his bag and dropped it on the floor. Then he turned to Brynn…

…and _smiled_.

The mere action sent chills down her spine. It wasn't a toothy grin like the ones Dominic gave her. Jonathan's was closed mouth, his lips pursed. It almost looked like a grimace.

Brynn was given the impression that he didn't smile very often.

"Thank you for returning my bag, Brynn," he said, his voice smooth. "I'm sorry for my earlier behavior."

Brynn stared at him, utterly confused. Was he being polite? "Uh, yeah. No problem."

Jonathan shifted in his seat so he was facing her. He cocked his head to the side and looked her over. "Did you read the assignment?"

"Yeah…"

"And?"

Brynn searched for words. "I was lost. I still don't understand it."

Jonathan nodded enthusiastically. "Understandable. How about we get together tonight and I'll explain it to you? It should make up for my rude departure the other night."

Brynn nodded slowly. Had Jonathan finally realized that Brynn was not some bully and just trying to be friendly to him? It seemed possible, especially with his unexplainable change of personality. Perhaps returning his bag had caused him to warm up to her?

That was it. The small act of kindness had done it. Brynn slowly smiled and relaxed. "That'd be great, actually. Library?"

"Of course," Jonathan said. His eyes were gleaming.

Brynn's hateful feelings for him evaporated. Jonathan was just a young boy who had been thrown into a world of grownups. He probably didn't have any friends here or anyone to turn to. He was just a scared little kid who was unsure of himself.

Brynn flashed the younger boy a grin. "Thanks for helping me, Jonathan. You have no idea how helpful this is. And if you need anything, just let me know."

The last statement caused Jonathan to turn away and blush. He let out a nervous chuckle and peaked at her from behind his glasses. Brynn nearly laughed; she had never imagined making Jonathan Crane _uncomfortable_. But then again if she was a sixteen year old boy who was making small-talk with a nineteen year old girl, she would probably feel uncomfortable, too.

Professor Mapps called for the class' attention and started off the lecture. They were still in the midst of their discussion on crime and the causes behind it. Jonathan was called on repeatedly and supplied the class with his vast knowledge. Each time he correctly answered a question, he looked over to Brynn for approval. Time and time again, she gave him a small smile. Brynn was amused by the fact that he was trying to show off in front of her.

Some of the classmates found Jonathan's eagerness obnoxious. They shot him glares and eye rolls. At one point when Mapps had his back turned, a paper airplane crashed into the back of Jonathan's head. Brynn turned in her seat and saw Griffin Montgomery and Riley O'Donaghue snickering uncontrollably and staring at Jonathan. Brynn scowled.

"Ignore them," she muttered. Jonathan nodded and wrote something down in his notebook, his pen stabbing the page. His face was beet red.

Class was dismissed and Jonathan bid her farewell before rushing out of the room. Brynn lurked behind, her eyes glued to the two jocks who had sent the plane at Jonathan. Before leaving, Brynn shot them a death glare.

If there was one thing Brynn was good at, it was being a loyal friend. And so far, she didn't like the way these assholes were treating her new friend.

**. . .**

As predicted, Jonathan sat at the table in the back of the library, his head bent over his book. Brynn quietly approached, not wanting to disturb him from his peaceful state. Carefully setting her books down on the table, Brynn pulled the wooden chair out from under the table and sat down.

Jonathan looked up and nodded to her. His glasses had slid down, perched on the tip of his nose.

"Hey," Brynn said as she finally settled into her seat.

"Hello," Jonathan replied politely.

The two stared at each for a moment, neither opening their mouths to speak. Under the table, Brynn's fingers fidgeted as she slowly grew uncomfortable.

"So," Brynn said, deciding to break the awkward silence. "How was your day?"

Jonathan raised a brow, an amused smirk playing on his face. "How was my day? Exceptional, I suppose. And you?"

Brynn shrugged. She reached for the pen Jonathan had been using, his eyes following her hand as it moved to his side of the table. She snatched it and began to repeatedly click it. "So-so," she replied, her eyes trained on the utensil.

"Please refrain from doing that," Jonathan said suddenly. "The noise is most irritating."

Mid-click, Brynn looked up at him and muttered an apology. She set the pen back down on his book. "Okay, so I was thinking we could go over the basics again—"

"Actually," Jonathan said, raising his hand to stop her. Immediately, she clamped her mouth shut. "I thought we could go back to the topic on crime and the motivations behind it. If that's okay with you?"

"Uh yeah, of course."

"Fantastic," Jonathan replied, giving her a tight smile. Man, he looked awkward when he did that.

Opening his book to a marked page, Jonathan's finger trailed to the bottom. "Ah, here we go. Read this passage to me."

The book was pushed toward her, opened to a passage in the Criminal Behavior section. Without reading the title, Brynn began to mutter the words.

"_Most criminals are born into blue-collar families living in rough areas of a city. Typically, these neighborhoods are run by local gangs. Exposed to these wrongdoers' actions, the line between right and wrong becomes blurred…"_

Brynn flipped the page, accidentally catching an extra page. She flipped back to the intended page and continued reading.

"_With little knowledge between the right and wrong, criminals start out by committing petty crimes, such as vandalism and theft. These crimes are committed for various reasons: the thrill of the wrongful act, impressing others, or the lack of that material…"_

After reading the passage, she looked across the table to the younger boy. The awkward grin from earlier had vanished, his features hardened and accusing. Now he looked like his usual, creepy self.

Suddenly Brynn realized why she had been forced to read the passage.

Slowly, as though the movement would cause him to pounce, Brynn leaned back. The chair creaked loudly under her weight. Jonathan's eyes, icier than ever, were glued to her face.

"So tell me, _Brynn. _Do any of these characteristics apply to you?" Jonathan taunted.

Her eyes darted to the door, every fiber of her being screaming at her to make a run for it. She doubted Jonathan could catch her.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she lied. She could feel her heartbeat quickening, her palms becoming clammy.

"Liar," he breathed.

The door wasn't that far. She could make it and just avoid Jonathan for the rest of her life…

In the end, she opted to stay in her seat. Running would only worsen the situation. "I didn't take anything," Brynn replied, her eyes trained on Jonathan's.

The younger boy adjusted his glasses. "Yes, that may be true, but you still searched through my bag. That's an invasion of privacy. I could report you to the dean. In fact, I could tell him you _did _take something."

Adrenaline rushed through her veins. If Jonathan reported her, she could be suspended from the university. Or worse…

That wouldn't sit well with her parents…

Finding her voice, Brynn fought back. "And I'm sure the dean wouldn't be too _pleased _to take a look at that _diary_ of yours. He could take it the wrong way, _Jonathan_. I could justify my actions with suspicions against you. I could make that book look like a _hit list."_

By the look on his face, it was clear he hadn't realized she had taken the time to look through it. His jaw clenched shut and his pale skin turned bright red. Now it was his turn to be on the defensive side. "_I don't know what you're talking about."_

His bag sat off to the left, opened, notebooks peeking out. "Oh you know," Brynn said. "_This _notebook."

Fast as lightning, her hand shot into the bag and pulled out the journal. Jonathan inhaled sharply and made a grab for it.

Brynn leaned back further, holding the journal out of his reach. "Uh, uh, uh, not so fast," she taunted.

"Give it to me, you _dimwit," _Jonathan growled, his eyes wild.

"Tell me why you have it."

"_No."_

"Then I guess you're not getting it back."

"You're pushing it, _Kiley," _the boy growled. "Give it _or else."_

"Is that a _threat?" _Brynn asked, unable to keep the smirk from her face any longer. The fact that she was being threatened by a boy who weighed less than she did was hilarious.

The smirk was wiped clean from her face when Jonathan slowly leaned across the table, his face mere inches from hers. "_Precisely_," he whispered fiercely.

The clock on the wall ticked off the seconds loudly as the two remained in their defensive stances. Jonathan was leaning in so close Brynn could feel his breath on her face. Finally, she shoved the notebook into his face. He snatched it immediately and jumped back into his seat.

The notebook was shoved back into his bag as well as his textbooks. Brynn watched him, hatred coursing through her veins.

"Take me out of it," she said at last.

"Pardon?" Jonathan growled. He hoisted the heavy bag onto his shoulder.

"Take your entry on me out of it," she repeated.

Jonathan scoffed. "After that? I don't think so."

Brynn shrugged. "Fine. I guess I'll just have to tell everyone what you wrote about them. I have all their names written down," she lied.

Horror washed over Jonathan's face. He stared at her, trying to tell if she was lying or not. Brynn kept her expression blank, her eyes trained on him.

A moment passed before Jonathan slammed the bag down on the table. He whipped the flap open and pulled out the notebook. Leafing through it, he found the entry and tore it out. Much to her annoyance, Jonathan crumpled it into a ball and threw it at her, missing horribly.

"Mature!" Brynn snapped as he wheeled around and left the library, slamming the door shut on the way.

**. . . **

**A/N: I'm sorry I'm so late for posting this. Writer's block… I'm not sure how I feel about this chapter, so give me your feedback. I'm also sorry that Brynn was such a beyotch to Jonathan :( She'll be nicer later, I promise. Feel free to give Jonathan hugs to help his self-esteem (even though Jonathan hates being touched, so good luck with that). But for the moment those two just do not mix well…**

**Super special shout-out to killerxcatch and NotSoWhimsicalWonderland for reviewing, as well as to anyone who followed/added the story to their favorites! Much love to you guys as well as cookies! All advice is welcomed, so pleeeeaaase review!**


	7. Chapter 7

After the incident in the library, Brynn and Jonathan made sure to sit as far apart as possible at their table in Psychology.

The two made it a priority not to speak or even look at each other. In three weeks, they had interacted once during class that went something like this:

"Can I borrow a pencil?"

"Stop reminding me of your presence."

"Go fall down a hole, dweeb…"

Needless to say the atmosphere at their table was tense and either one of them could start World War III in a second. Other than that, Brynn hardly glanced at him and vice versa. They were close to forgetting that the other existed.

Had Brynn decided not to go out that night with a group of friends, then the two of them could have successfully gone on with their lives, never again having to interact with the other.

It was a Saturday night and Brynn was walking through the door of All-Stars, a popular sports bar on the university campus. She was overwhelmed with the aroma of greasy food and loud music. Waitresses dressed like referees but with _short _skirts weaved through the crowd, balancing beers and nachos on their trays. A group of guys were screaming at a television, the image of a quarterback sprinting down the field occupying the screen.

Sydney and Dominic were with her as well as Terrence Wheeler, a boy Dominic had been friends with at his high school. Terrence was also Sydney's latest "target."

Sydney looked around the crowded room, her nose held high in the air. "This place smells like B.O.," she whined. Turning her head to Terrence, she pouted and gave him puppy dog eyes.

"Well what'd you expect, daisies and roses?" Dominic said with an eye roll.

"_No_," Sydney snapped. "But it smells like a _man cave_."

"It's a sports bar, Syd, not a café," Brynn said to her friend.

Dominic stood on his tiptoes and looked around the room. "This place is packed," he muttered. He waved over the hostess and asked her how long it would be until a table was opened.

Dominic called for the others as he followed the waitress to the back. The four squeezed into a booth, Dominic and Brynn on one side and Sydney and Terrence on the other. Sydney immediately scowled when she placed her arms on the table top.

"_Sticky_," she muttered. Brynn and Dominic shared exasperated eye rolls at her comment.

The waitress came back with menus and silverware a moment later. Brynn took hers and eyed the list of burgers, her stomach growling uncontrollably.

"Dude, he's gonna score," Terrence said to Dominic, his eyes glued to a TV in the corner.

Dominic snorted. "_Pfft_. I'd like to see him _try."_

Sydney, annoyed that Terrence wasn't paying attention to her, moved so her head was blocking the TV. "Do they have salads?"

"Uh, yeah sure," Terrence muttered, shifting in his seat so he could see the game. Brynn tried not to smirk as Sydney huffed.

Suddenly, Dominic gasped and banged on the table to get Terrence's attention. "Look who it is!" he whispered excitedly.

Terrence turned in the direction Dominic was looking and squinted. Immediately his mouth fell open. "_No way. _Is that Jonathan _Crane_?"

The mention of his name caused Brynn to look too. Sure enough, Jonathan Crane was standing on the opposite side of the room by a soda machine filling a plastic glass. Brynn's brow furrowed when she saw what he was wearing.

"Oh my god, _he works here?"_ Brynn spat out. To her horror, Jonathan was wearing a striped referee's shirt and black pants. The costume looked so _unusual_ on him, compared to his everyday sweaters and khakis.

"You know Jonathan Crane?" Terrence exclaimed.

"He sits next to me in Psychology," she explained. Brynn raised a questioning brow at Dominic. "How do you guys know him?"

The four of them were now crouched low in their seats watching him. "Jonathan went to high school with us," Dominic said to Brynn quietly. Suddenly his face was lit up by his Cheshire cat grin. "Oh, this is going to be _good."_

Before anyone could ask what he was doing, Dominic waved their waitress over.

"Would it be possible to have _him_ serve us tonight?" Dominic asked, pointing over to Jonathan. The girl nodded and left their table.

"Dominic, no, no, no!" Brynn whisper-screamed. "What are you _doing?"_

They watched as the waitress walked over to Jonathan and pointed in their direction. Supposedly he didn't see them because he nodded and walked over.

"Ahh!" Brynn squeaked. She grabbed her menu and held it in front of her face so he wouldn't see her.

"Jonathan!" she heard Dominic exclaim. In her mind, she could see Jonathan freeze, not realizing what he was getting himself into. "I didn't know you worked here!"

Jonathan mumbled something. Brynn cringed and pulled the menu closer to her face.

"You remember us, right?" Dominic went on. "Dominic Langston. And you remember Terrence? Terrence Wheeler?"

"Yepp," Jonathan said tightly.

"I don't think you know Sydney…but you know Brynn, right?"

Brynn attempted to kick Dominic under the table when he said her name. She brought her menu down, her face bright red.

"Crane," she muttered without looking at him.

"Kiley," Jonathan spat out.

Finally she looked up at him. Jonathan's face was furious, his eyes livid. The referee's shirt was stained in the front and too big on him. Around his neck was a plastic whistle.

Ignoring the obvious tension between them, Dominic went on. "So are you going to, like, take our order now?"

Jonathan's eyes found Dominic's. "What do you want?"

"I'm pretty sure that's not how you're supposed to ask," Terrence piped up. "Don't you guys have a jingle or something?"

A vein was popping out of Jonathan's neck. "_Welcome to All-Stars. What can I get for all you team-players?" _Jonathan hissed.

Brynn nearly choked as she tried to hold back her laughter. A smile was trying to break through and she had to cover her mouth with her hand.

"Okay, we'll start with you, Brynn," Jonathan snapped, instantly making Brynn shut up. He whipped out a small notepad, impatience written across his face as he waited for her to order. "Well?"

"Hmm…" Brynn picked her menu up and tapped her chin. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Jonathan practically twitching with irritation. "_Hmmm…"_

"Right, well, I'll get back to you on that," Jonathan muttered. He turned to Sydney, pen poised and ready over the page.

"I want a salad," Sydney stated rudely.

"Do you know what _kind _you want?"

"What kind do you have?"

"They're on the menu."

"I'm _illiterate,_" Sydney lied, earning a snicker from the table.

Brynn could tell that Jonathan was trying to hold back a snarky comment. The younger boy pushed a long lock of hair out of his eyes and recited the menu from memory. "We have a Caesar salad, an Iceberg salad, or a Greek salad."

"Caesar," Sydney finally decided. "And a diet water."

"A _what_?" Jonathan asked incredulously. He stared at Sydney as though she had sprouted a second head.

"You heard me," she said exasperatedly. "_Diet water_."

Jonathan smacked his lips, making a popping noise. "Right. And I'm assuming you'd want sugar-free ice cubes as well?"

"That'd be nice," she replied, batting her long lashes. Brynn scowled in disgust as she watched Sydney fake-flirt with the Dweeb Lord.

The two other boys spent five minutes ordering, changing their minds again and again. Jonathan repeatedly crossed off their choices on his notepad, scribbled down new ones, and crossed them off again. By the time they had finished he looked as though he was ready to grab one of the forks and poke their eyes out.

"Have you decided what you want yet?" Jonathan asked Brynn, his expression wary. "Or do you too want a _diet water_?"

"Nah," she said, leaning against the sticky table top. "How 'bout a Coke? Or are you guys strictly _Pepsi_?"

"We have Coke…"

"Eep!" Brynn squealed excitedly. "Okay, I'll get one of those. Aaaaaand…uhhh…nooo…okay, I'll get a burger. _With cheese!_"

Jonathan wrote down the last order and spun on his heel, heading back to the kitchen. The four older teens let out a loud burst of laughter, attracting stares from nearby diners.

"He was _pissed_," Dominic choked out.

"Holy crap Syd, did you see his face when you ordered a diet water?" Brynn recalled, wiping a tear from her eye. "I thought he was going to strangle you!"

Terrence shushed them as Jonathan came back. He placed their drinks before them wordlessly as they attempted to hold their giggles in.

Brynn jumped when she felt her pocket begin to vibrate, nearly knocking over the Coke Jonathan had put before her. Pulling her phone out, she read the green screen. _Dad_.

"I'll be back in a sec," she told the others as she stood and smoothed her skirt. Brynn pushed past Jonathan and headed for the back of the room.

"Hey," Brynn said after flipping the small device open. She pressed her hand to her other ear to block out the background noises.

"Sweetheart," her father replied. "We need to have a little talk…"

_A talk_? Brynn thought worriedly. "About?"

"I received a fax from the dean today…about your _grades_ to be specific."

At the mention of grades, Brynn's heart dropped to her stomach. _Uh-oh_.

On the other side she could hear the phone shifting around. "Two B minuses, a C and an _F_, Brynn. Care to explain?"

"An _F_?" Brynn squeaked out. Despite the obvious answer she asked, "In _what?_"

"Psychology," her father said bitterly. "Your mother and I are less than _thrilled _about this. We expect _more _from you. We did not pay for you to go to college to party and _slack off_."

Suddenly she was aware of how loud the music was and that her father could probably hear it in the background. To make matters worse a group of boys started screaming loudly.

"Um…sorry?" Brynn said.

Her father let out a humorless laugh. "Sorry isn't going to cut it this time, _dear. _As punishment, we're cutting you off."

"_Cutting me off?_" Brynn exclaimed. "Like…disowning me?"

"Like _no more money_," her father replied. "Not until those grades meet my expectations."

"Oh."

Oh.

_Oh._

"B-but—how am I supposed to eat if I don't have money?" she stammered out.

The room was suddenly torrid and excruciatingly loud. The scent of fried, greasy food was making her nauseous.

"We had a meal plan set up for you to eat in the cafeteria, remember?" her father reminded her.

"But that won't pay for anything else!"

Mr. Kiley sighed loudly. "Well if you want my advice, you should consider finding a job."

"A job?"

"Yes, Brynn, a _job_."

"O-okay?"

"In the meantime I suggest you work a _wee _bit harder on those grades, Brynn Marie," he said sternly. "I'll be checking in on you later."

A _click _came from the other side of the line and Brynn slowly snapped her phone shut. An _F_? No money? A job? What the hell had happened in the last few minutes?

As she tried to make sense of what happened, a shadow passed to her left, causing her to look up.

"Ugh, what do _you _want?" Brynn demanded.

Jonathan Crane stood a few feet away from her on the opposite side of the hallway, his light eyes taunting.

"Daddy issues?" he questioned her.

"Were you listening to my conversation?"

"Perhaps."

"God, Jonathan, you are _such _a creep. Get lost," she snarled.

The younger boy narrowed his eyes at her and took a step forward. It hadn't occurred to Brynn that they were far from the other diners and no one could possibly hear what happened back here. If Jonathan Crane turned out to be a psycho, or worse, a _pedophile, _no one would hear her screams…

"Did you plan to do this to me tonight?" he whispered fiercely.

"Do _what_?"

He let out a harsh laugh. A bit of spittle flew out and landed on his lip. He quickly rubbed it away with the back of his hand. "You really are clueless. You know what I'm talking about—how you brought your friends here to spy on me and humiliate me."

His statement made her roll her eyes dramatically. "Oh _please. _Had I known you worked here, I never would have stepped foot in here."

Brynn pushed past him before he could say anything else. She turned sharply to look back at him. "Shouldn't you be _working_? That food's not going to cook itself," she said nastily and strutted off.

The entire walk back to the table she could feel his eyes burning into her back. Yes, she was being a bitch right now. Did she really care? No. She was having a bad day and Jonathan was only making it ten times worse.

Brynn plopped back down into her seat, the red vinyl seating sticking to the backs of her legs. Why had she chosen to wear a skirt tonight, she thought miserably. Leaning forward, she took a needy sip of her Coke and sighed as it washed down her throat.

"You okay?" Dominic asked as she chugged the bubbly soda.

"Dandy," she replied sarcastically.

Dominic gave her a questioning look. Instead of pushing it further, he shrugged and went back to talking to Terrence.

On the other side of the restaurant, Jonathan Crane was balancing a tray of food. He carefully weaved around oblivious diners and nearly collided with a waitress. At the last moment, he managed to turn away from her only to trip over a bar stool.

The tray flew from his hands and Jonathan went crashing to the ground. Glasses shattered and plates of food clanged against the hardwood floor. Everyone turned to look at what had happened and laughed, some even yelling, "Nice going, klutz!" Jonathan's face was beet red as he slowly cleaned up his mess.

Brynn watched as he finally pulled himself up. His referee shirt was stained and drenched in beer. For a brief moment, the two locked eyes. Immediately, he scowled at her as though she had been the one to cause it. Brynn returned the action with an eye roll and turned away.

**. . .**

"Hi, I was calling about the job interv—oh, someone else already got it? Okay, never mind."

Brynn sighed as the person on the other line hung up on her. She leaned forward and drew a fat, red X over the store's ad. All morning she had been calling hiring stores, trying to land an interview for a job. So far all the places she had tried had either found someone else or were looking for someone more "experienced."

Scanning over the list, she mentally crossed off options. Dog-walker—no. Delivery person—god _no. _Brynn groaned and flipped through the help wanted pages of the paper.

A few more phone calls and still no luck. Brynn ran her fingers through her hair as she stared at the page. She hadn't expected it to be _this _hard. To be honest, she thought she'd have an interview lined up after the first phone call.

Trailing down the page, Brynn stopped when she read _All-Stars Bar & Grill, Waitress Needed, No Experience Necessary. _Her hand shot out for her phone lightning fast and she started dialing the number.

Before she could hit the call button, Brynn remembered a crucial thing: Jonathan worked there. Her fingers paused over the keyboard then quickly shut it. There was no way she would work there if Jonathan would be there, no matter how desperate she was.

But then again, she was broke…

_No way_! her conscience screamed. _You are not working with that scumbag. _

The phone taunted her, its buttons practically screaming _Dial me!_ Brynn bit her lip. If she called, she could possibly get the job and be able to pay for herself until her father came back to his senses. If she didn't, she was running out of choices…

In the end, Brynn reluctantly dialed the restaurant, and waited as it rang. Maybe she'd get lucky and have a completely different working schedule than Jonathan? After the sixth ring she was ready to give up and nearly hung up when someone answered.

"All-Stars," a gruff voice answered.

"H-hi," Brynn stammered out as she pressed her phone harder to her ear. Loud rock music could be heard blaring in the background. "I'm calling about the job opening…it's still opened right?"

"Yeah, it should be," the man replied. "I'm not really in charge of that. Hold on, I'll get the manager on the phone for ya."

Rustling could be heard on the other side and Brynn nervously waited for a new voice to answer. She was counting the polka dots on her pillow when another man spoke.

"Yes?"

"Hi, I'm calling about your ad and I was wondering if you still had a spot opened for a waitress?"

"Yeah, yeah, it's still opened," he said impatiently. "When can you come down?"

"For an interview?"

"For the _job_."

"Oh," she said. _That was easy_. "I guess I could come down now."

"Perfect," the man replied, though he sounded less than thrilled. "You're under 140, right?"

"Uh, yeah?"

"Blonde?"

"Sort of?"

"Eh," he scoffed. "We'll see."

The line went dead. Brynn stared at her phone in confusion. Why did it matter what her hair color or weight were? Didn't the job require _skill_, not looks?

Or so she thought.

**. . .**

An hour later, she was walking through All-Star's doors for the second time in the last twenty-four hours. The bar wasn't as crowded as it had been the previous night, its only occupants being a few guys sporting ball caps at the bar. To her "delight", Jonathan was standing at the host's station, with his head down.

Brynn repeatedly dinged the little silver bell to get his attention. He jumped, nearly knocking over the thick book he had been reading. Jonathan quickly grabbed it before it went tumbling to the sticky, hardwood floor.

"You again?" Jonathan muttered. He inspected his book and scowled when he saw one of the pages had torn. "You realize this food goes straight to your hips, don't you?"

"Very funny," Brynn sniped back. "I'm not here to eat; I'm here for a job interview."

Jonathan's eyes shot up to Brynn's. The light orbs inspected her face to tell if she was lying. "_Why?_"

The older girl put her elbow on the wood countertop, then rested her cheek against her hand, feigning boredom. "Daddy cut me off, remember?" Brynn said in a nasally, rich-bitch voice. She was pleased when she saw the annoyance flit across Jonathan's face. She narrowed her dark eyes. "Someone didn't do a very good job at tutoring me."

"Yes, well someone wasn't bright enough to catch on to the material," he replied darkly. "Probably because you hang out with that _illiterate _girl who orders _diet waters_."

Before she could reply, a tall man with greasy black hair and a beer belly wobbled over to them. He pointed a waggling finger at Jonathan.

"Jackson! Don't just stand there, get the woman a table!"

"Jonathan," the younger boy hissed out quietly. "My name is _Jon-a-than."_

The older man supposedly didn't hear him because he added, "Table four needs to be scrubbed down as well, Jackson."

Jonathan's face was as red as a chili pepper. He left the two as he stalked off to a table and whipped out a dish rag.

The older man was turning to leave. "Um, 'scuse me?" Brynn called out. "I called about the waitress job."

The man turned back and squinted at her. "Oh yeah, you. Well come on back here, we'll get you a uniform."

_A uniform?_ Brynn thought. _There's no way in _hell _I'm wearing that referee outfit…_

She followed him to the back of the restaurant and waited as he pulled out a key. Over his shoulder, Brynn could make out a sign that should have read "Employees Only." The m was missing so it read, "E ployees Only."

He pushed the door open and blindly reached around for a light switch. A dull light flickered on and dust particles floated in the air. The two made their way back into the room.

On the back wall was a metal shelf stacked with referee costumes, black pants, and skirts. The man turned back to Brynn, sizing her up. "Medium, I'd say," he muttered to himself.

He reached to the top and threw a shirt and skirt back at Brynn. She clumsily caught them and looked at the tag. It read _small. _

"Uh, you gave me a small," Brynn told him.

"They run large," he muttered although Brynn found that _very _unlikely.

Once again he was squinting at her, sizing her up. "I thought you said blonde."

Brynn looked at her hair. "I said sort of."

The man scoffed. "Looks red to me."

"Strawberry blonde," Brynn replied defensively.

The man (what was his name anyway?) turned and walked out of the room. "Definitely red," he muttered. "Try those on. What did ya say your name was again?"

_Never told you my name,_ she wanted to mutter. "Brynn."

"'Kay."

A moment later Brynn emerged from the dingy room, clad in the ill-fitting costume. The shirt, which was more of a yellow than a white, hugged her body in an unattractive manner. Her stomach bulged and the fabric was strained across her boobs. To make it even worse, the shirt was too short and the skin on her stomach was visible. If she lifted her arms, everyone would be able to see the jewel pierced into her naval (which her parents did_ not_ know about).

Brynn awkwardly walked to where "Boss" was standing. She could feel people staring at her and her face turned red with embarrassment.

"It doesn't fit," Brynn stated.

The expression on his face said _obviously. _He grunted. "Eh, looks fine."

"Can I at least get a bigger shirt?" Brynn said through her teeth, trying to keep her temper intact.

Once again, he grunted and walked away. "I'll take that as a yes," she muttered and turned back to get a medium.

Brynn soon discovered that the women's sizes only came in small and extra small. She stared at the rack in disgust. She couldn't possibly wear the shirt she had on without it eventually ripping. After looking for a medium a second time, Brynn opted for a men's small.

It wasn't horrible—true, it was practically a mini dress on her but she was able to tuck it into her skirt. Now it just looked baggy and long-sleeved as opposed to short.

She walked out of the room for the second time and nearly ran into Boss. In his hand was a name tag.

"Here," he shoved it at her and disappeared into another small room. Brynn looked at it, her jaw dropping.

"_Bree_?" she whined. "It's Brynn!"

Jonathan looked up from the table he was cleaning and gave her a questioning look. "Talking to ourselves, are we?"

"He wrote 'Bree,'" Brynn said and shoved it in his face to show him.

Jonathan nodded and adjusted his glasses. "Probably because your name's not feminine enough."

"What? It's a girl's name!"

"Yes, but it is not girly enough. If your name was Jessica or Brittany or _Bree, _he'd remember you. But since it's not, he will call you what he pleases," Jonathan explained.

Brynn rolled her eyes dramatically and gestured at her outfit. "I mean, look at this! It's degrading! You know, he said I wasn't blonde enough earlier and asked how much I weighed. Like, who does that?"

He moved to another table and began scrubbing the grime off, shaking his head. "That would be Earl for you." Jonathan glanced up at Brynn and furrowed his brows. "You're not blonde, Brynn. That's most definitely red."

"Strawberry-blonde, red-blonde, whatever!" Brynn cried, shaking her hair around for emphasis. "What, does he not hire brunettes? And what's wrong with red?"

"Shouldn't you be working?" Jonathan muttered.

"No, because he hasn't given me anything to do."

A loud sigh escaped Jonathan's lips. He turned around and grabbed a dish rag out of a bucket of soapy water and threw it at her. "Here."

"What am I supposed to do with it?"

The look Jonathan gave Brynn made her take a step back. "I swear, you rich girls are ridiculous…" he muttered. Jonathan spun on his heel leaving Brynn to finish cleaning the table.

She could already tell this was going to be less than enjoyable.

**. . . **

**A/N: Yepp, Chapter 7. Not my best, I'll admit it. I knew what I wanted to write about, I just had trouble writing it. You know what I mean? So yeah, sorry if the descriptions weren't the best…**

**THANK YOU SO MUCH ElektraMackenzie, Musicaddict1, and chocolate bear for reviewing! Your guys' reviews made me really, really, really, really happy. I'm even happier to know that you guys like Brynn and even think she's a **_**badass**_**! That one made me laugh haha. (Brynn's no badass at all. She's all bark and no bite.) Though I will understand if you do not like her after this chapter. I tried my hardest to bring out her inner bitchy and show what bad influence her friends can be on her so I hope I did a good job at that. Please let me know! OH, thank you also to those who follow/favorite the story. Almost at twenty followers which doesn't sound like a big deal but is huge to me. The only thing I ask is that you take the time to review, it doesn't have to be long, just tell me what needs fixing, what can be improved, ideas for the story, or just to say hi. ALL ARE WELCOME. **

**Not sure when Chapter 8 will be up. I'm going to say…Sunday? No promises. I'm going to try my hardest to get two more chapters up while I'm on break. **

**One last thing: MERRY CHRISTMAS! **

**Okay, I'm done. R&R! **


	8. Chapter 8

"So, um…what's this I hear about you working at _All-Stars?_"

Brynn choked, sputtering soda everywhere. Quickly, she grabbed a napkin and blotted her mouth as well as the Coke driblets on the table. She looked up at the four accusing pairs of eyes.

"How'd you find out about that?" Brynn managed to get out between coughs.

Meredith White shrugged, eyeing a tiny puddle of Coke a few inches from her neatly manicured hand. "A little bird told me. I hadn't realized you…liked those places."

"I don't," Brynn said quickly.

"Isn't that, like, a _Hooters_?" Abby Tate said, her charcoal lined eyes wide.

"No, no, no—"

"Do you have to wear a referee costume?"

"Yeah, but—"

"I heard the waitresses keep all the tips they make in their bras and you can see the dollar bills peeping out."

"Girls," Meredith said firmly, raising a hand to stop the ceaseless questioning. Instantly, Abby, Bethany, and Kristen shut up.

"It's just a short-term gig," Brynn explained, fiddling with her hands as she did so. There was no need to tell them how her grades had hit rock bottom and she'd been cut off. No doubt the news would spread like wild-fire. "I just needed the extra cash."

"You need extra cash?" Meredith laughed softly. "Brynn, I think your family's the richest in the city. Well, other than the Wayne's, of course."

"My parents are trying to teach me to be more…independent."

Meredith nodded, her voluminous black waves bouncing. "My parents did the same with me junior year. It's nothing to be ashamed of. They're getting us off the training wheels and onto the actual bike, you know?"

Brynn nodded wordlessly and took another bite of her sandwich. The past two weeks she had been able to keep the fact that she was a waitress at All-Stars a secret. Luckily, she had been given weekday shifts and never had to work on Fridays or Saturdays (mainly due to the fact that she wasn't blonde enough and was a B-cup instead of a C). There were times when she would see fellow classmates but never ones she knew really well. Perhaps one of her friends had come in one day and she hadn't noticed?

"What's it like?" Kristen asked, brushing her blonde bangs out of her face. "Do they actually stick money down your shirt?"

"No one's tried it on me yet," Brynn said, earning nods of approval. "I mean, I've seen it _happen_."

"Ugh," Meredith rolled her eyes in disgust. "Men."

"Is it stressful?" Bethany questioned her.

Brynn took her straw and stirred her drink around, forming a little whirlpool in the middle. "Yeah, I guess. I have to stay up later to do homework and stuff."

There was also the fact that she had to work with Jonathan Crane. Despite the fact that the two had had a somewhat civil conversation on her first day, they were back to hating each other. They continuously threw insults at each other as well as death glares. Numerous times, Brynn had caught Jonathan staring at her, his light blue eyes hateful.

He probably wasn't over the fact that she had gone through his bag…

Or that she had given him a hard time the night she went to All-Stars with her friends…

"Accidentally" spilling soda on him the other night probably had to do with it as well…

Well, she would definitely not be surprised if Jonathan ever attempted to bury her alive.

"I have something to help with the stress," Bethany interrupted Brynn's thoughts. She reached into her purse and pulled out a small cardboard box. Cigarettes, Brynn realized. Bethany slid them across the table to Brynn. "Whenever I'm stressed over a paper or exam I have to take, I just light one of these up. They work wonders."

Hesitation made her pause from grabbing them. She was aware that they weren't good for a person, no matter what age or gender they were. No one in high school had smoked, only drank. Even Sydney was sworn off them, so they _must _have been bad.

Brynn looked up at Meredith. She needed someone to approve of them if she would take them and Meredith seemed to be the perfect candidate. Her friend nodded, giving Brynn permission to take them.

She thanked Bethany and slid the cardboard box into her pocket.

**. . .**

"Ay lady! I asked for nachos, not cheese fries!"

The fat man, sweating through his football jersey, shoved the plastic basket back at Brynn. He turned his back on her and went back to watching the game on the television.

"Bite me," Brynn said under her breath. She placed the basket on her tray and carefully maneuvered her way to the kitchen, kicking the swinging doors open with her foot.

"Can I get some nachos?" Brynn called to one of the fry cooks. He nodded and began to whip up a batch. Brynn eyed the clock on the wall. _7:56_, it read. Four minutes until she could take her fifteen minute break then go back to work until ten thirty. _Wonderful_…

Brynn and the fry cook exchanged baskets and she made her way back to the grumpy customer. As she set the basket of food down before him, one of his buds leaned across the table and shoved a damp dollar bill down her shirt and into her bra. Brynn jumped back horrified, receiving a wink from the older man.

"More where that came from, hunny!" he cackled.

She fought the urge to gag as she quickly walked away, fishing around for the money in her shirt. "I'm taking my break," she said to no one in particular.

Brynn hurried through the kitchen and out the back door to the alleyway. The October night air was an escape from the B.O. and fried food being served inside. _Inhale, exhale_, she thought to herself. _Inhale, exhale._

She had forgotten about the bill, which was now crumpled in her palm. She opened it and smoothed it out against the wall. _Five dollars. _She had just been felt up for _five effing dollars._

In a fit of anger, she dropped the bill on the ground and stomped her foot on it. She was in the process of tearing it between both feet when the door opened again.

Jonathan Crane exited the building, a trash bag slung over his shoulder. His dark hair was damp with sweat and matted against his forehead. The glasses he wore were crooked. Behind them, Brynn could make out purple half-moons under his eyes.

When he saw the battered bill on the ground, he gave her a questioning look. "Bad day?"

"I just got groped for five dollars," she said bitterly.

"Yes, I saw."

Jonathan walked to the large trash bin and attempted to throw the trash bag inside. His weak form struggled to lift it and throw it in. Brynn watched as Jonathan attempted to balance the bag on his shoulder, only to have all its contents spill out behind him.

"Need some help with that?" Brynn asked, knowing the answer already.

"_No_," Jonathan said sharply. He was throwing everything in the trash bin, not caring if his hands got messy. "I can do it myself."

"Whatever you say…" Brynn muttered. She leaned against the brick wall and closed her eyes, fighting off the massive headache that was beginning to form. How much more of this did she have to endure?

Remembering the pack of cigarettes Bethany had given to her, Brynn reached into her back pocket and pulled them out along with a cheap lighter she had purchased. She opened the pack and pulled one out, rolling it around in her fingers, trying to get a feel for it. Now seemed like the perfect time to have one.

The dumpster closed with a bang and Jonathan wiped his hands off on his pants. His eyes narrowed when he saw what she was holding.

"What is _that_?"

Brynn held it up for him to see. "A cigarette?"

"Yes, I know that. Why do you have it?" Jonathan demanded.

"Why not? I've had a terrible day, so I might as well light up," Brynn sassily replied. She squinted at it and said to herself, "What, do I just light it and go?"

To her surprise, Jonathan walked over and stood before her. He crossed his scrawny arms over his chest. "Have you even smoked before? Do you _know _what they do to your lungs?"

"I could care less right now," Brynn muttered. She raised her brow at the younger boy. "Why do you care so much?"

"I don't," Jonathan replied, his voice smooth. "In fact, go for it."

A tiny flame burst out of the lighter. "I'm sure I'll be fine. Besides, Meredith said it was okay."

Brynn put the cigarette in her mouth and lit it. She took a deep drag and inhaled.

The coughing fit started immediately after.

Brynn doubled over, coughing uncontrollably as she tried to rid her lungs of the toxic smoke. Her vision blurred and tears streamed down her face as the coughing became more violent.

"Holy _shit_," she wheezed.

"Told you so," Jonathan muttered. He pried the burning cigarette out of Brynn's grip, dropped it on the ground, and stomped it out.

"What's in-_cough, cough_—that—_cough_—_thing?_"

"Tar, as well as other chemicals," Jonathan said, his eyes disapproving.

Brynn righted herself and stared at him in disbelief. "_Tar_?"

His expression was smug. "Yes, _tar_."

A groan escaped Brynn's lips as the headache was worsened. She slowly slid down the wall and sat on the cool ground, focusing on Jonathan's black loafers. "I need water…"

"What you need is a better sense of judgment," Jonathan replied, looking down at her curiously. "I'm assuming 'Meredith' is no doctor; therefore, you should not take her word to heart."

"And you are?"

Jonathan smirked. He stuck his hand out and waggled his pale fingers. Brynn tentatively reached her hand out as well.

"No, give me the cigarettes," Jonathan explained, causing Brynn to go bright red. She reached into her pocket and handed them to Jonathan. Then he turned away and threw them into the dumpster.

"There," he said and left, leaving Brynn alone in the alley.

**. . .**

_What's the point of living if you have nothing left to live for?_

_That was the question Olivia was beginning to ask herself. _

_Three days Charlie had been dead and for three days Olivia had been sitting on the couch, staring at the wall. Brynn had realized something was wrong because she stayed in her mother's room all day, only coming out to use the restroom or find something to eat. The seven year old looked at her mother's disheveled figure curiously each time she came out, but said nothing. Neither of them spoke. _

_The apartment felt deserted despite the fact that they still lived there. _

_She was still, like a statue. A sudden movement—anything sudden, really—would set her off and the remaining sanity she had would be out the window in a heartbeat. So she opted to sit in silence. _

What's the point of living if you have nothing left to live for_? she thought again. Charlie had been everything in life. He was the reason why she had stayed strong through those nights when a newborn Brynn had cried nonstop or when she was having a horrible day. Charlie made everything better. _

_And now he was gone, taking with him what was left of her strength and sanity. Her world had fallen apart._

_Slowly, she turned her neck, the movement causing it to crack. Olivia looked at the table next to the couch with the rusty handle on the drawer. Inside was a gun. Charlie had insisted on buying one, in case something was to happen while he was gone. Luckily, she had never had to use it. _

_What a waste of bullets. _

_Had Charlie died from a bullet? Or was it something else? The questions whirred through her mind as she slowly scooted towards the drawer. Strangulation? Stabbing?_

_A tentative hand reached out and gripped the handle, pulling the drawer open slowly. Olivia reached in and pulled out a heavy shotgun. _

_She looked over her shoulder to her bedroom door; it was shut and no sound came from the room. Good. Brynn wouldn't have to see what her mother was about to do. _

_Olivia eyed the weapon. Her fingers slowly brushed over it causing her to shiver. She would make it fast. _

"_Padre nuestro que est__á__s en el cielo," she whispered the Our Father in her native language. Santificado sea tu nombre. Venga tu reino."_

_Three loud knocks rattled the door, followed by a gruff voice shouting, "GCPD! Open up!"_

"_Hágase tu voluntad en la tierra como en el cielo. Danos hoy nuestro pan de cada día," Olivia prayed, ignoring the men outside._

_More knocks, more urgent. "Open up, Miss Rivers!"_

"_Perdona nuestras ofensas, como también nosotros perdonamos a los que nos ofenden. No nos dejes caer en tentación y líbranos del mal," Olivia said, a tear rolling down her cheek. She positioned the gun before her and closed her eyes._

_At that moment, the door was knocked down by the GCPD. _

_Another door was opened. The door to Olivia's bedroom, where a confused Brynn stood. _

"_Amén," she whispered shakily and pulled the trigger. _

Pow.

**A/N: So I posted Chapter Eight sooner than expected and I hope everyone liked it. I know it was kind of short but I'm feeling very creative and will probably start Nine tomorrow morning so be prepared for numerous updates these next few days. ;)**

**Thank you sooo much Musicaddict1, AlainHotCoco1, chocolate bear, Anon, masterofpuppets, , daisydoll, and anyone who followed the story. I'm so flattered that you all enjoyed the previous chapter so much and was absolutely thrilled to see all the feedback. You are all amazing! I was even happier to know that you guys think I'm **_**funny!**_** Like, whaaat? No one laughs at my jokes. :( At first I thought the diet water joke was cheesy and unoriginal but I'm glad to know you guys thought it was funny. No joke you guys, I could not stop smiling when I was reading all of the reviews. Like I said, I was absolutely flattered by all your reviews and the wonderful things you said. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!**

**There were also a few questions asked, so I'll try to answer them as best as I can. 1) In the story, I imagine Jonathan as a younger Cillian Murphy, so his appearance is based off of the movie instead of the comics. 2) I will be brining Jonathan's past into the story but later on. In case you guys didn't remember, I said I would be dividing the story into parts and we are currently on Part 1 which is Brynn's P.O.V. Jonathan's P.O.V. will begin in Part 2. After Part 2, the P.O.V.s go back and forth. In case you're confused, go back to my A/N in Chapter 4 (I think that's where it is). I explained it much better there. 3) Brynn and Jonathan will start interacting more in future chapters. In a romantic way? No, not yet at least, we have a long way to go before that. In a friendly way? Perhaps. It depends on how those two behave with each other. I hope this answered any questions you might have had. Please feel free to PM me if you have any more, I'd love to be able to interact with everyone who reads the story. **

**I don't really have anything else to say…I think I expressed my excitement haha. With that being said, R&R and I'll update ASAP!**

**HOLD UP, ONE MORE THING. If you have any ideas at all, and I mean ANY, for the story, please tell me in your review or PM me! **


	9. Chapter 9

**THIS CHAPTER HAS BEEN EDITED.**

**. . . **

For once, the weather matched Brynn's mood: dark and gloomy.

Irritation was written all over Brynn's face as she walked up the sidewalk to the University building. A bitter gust of wind sent her short hair into turmoil, no doubt making her resemble a lion. In a way she was a lion, ready to roar at anyone who disturbed her.

She pushed through the doors of the building, a handprint smudging the clear glass. What had brought on this sour mood was a mystery but Brynn was almost positive that it had to do with the dream she had had about her mother the previous night.

Thoughts of the black-eyed bimbo filled her mind, causing a scowl to break through. It was _her _fault that Brynn was in such a bitter mood.

_Bitch, _she thought wickedly as she leaned forward to press the up button for the elevator. The lobby of the building was empty save for a custodian quietly singing to himself as he mopped the marble floors. The sleek elevator doors slid open and Brynn stepped inside the metal box.

The ride to the fourth floor was shaky; Brynn gritted her teeth shut the entire time. One of these days, the rope pulling the box up would for sure snap, sending its riders to their deaths. Perhaps she should write a letter to the university before she became one of the victims…

She arrived on the fourth floor and made her way down the hall to Psychology 101, her lace up boots dragging over the floor. Brynn gripped the silver handle and pushed the heavy wooden door opened. She was greeted by the weary eyes of her fellow classmates.

Jonathan sat at the table, looking worse than usual. His glasses were dangerously close to falling off his nose and plummeting to the floor. Red spots dotted his forehead, standing out against his paler-than-usual-skin. Looked like Brynn wasn't the only one having a crappy morning.

The clock ticked nine as she sat in her seat. Professor Mapps turned on his projector, the device whirring to life. He spent the first half hour of class droning about…eh, Brynn wasn't even sure what he was talking about.

At 9:30, Brynn lifted her head from the mini-nap she had taken and looked around her. Mapps was finishing up on the notes, fellow classmates were either sleeping or jotting things down, and Crane looked as though he would drop to the floor and die at a moment's notice.

What was up with the kid today? Had he eaten something tainted at All-Stars? Brynn had witnessed him sneaking a French fry into his mouth and chowing down on it the other night. After spending so much time in the kitchen, waiting for orders to be ready, Brynn knew not to eat _anything _that was served there.

"And that concludes the notes for today," Mapps interrupted Brynn's thoughts as he turned the projector off. "Could someone get the lights?"

A student by the door flicked them on and the fluorescent light bulbs slowly flickered to life. Groggy students stretched out and yawned, blinking against the sudden bright light.

Mapps went over to his desk and hopped on it, taking a seat. The old professor eyed his students, his large glasses gleaming in the light. Brynn shifted uncomfortably when his eyes roamed over to her side of the room. She sank lower into her chair and pulled the hood of her sweatshirt over her head. She didn't feel like being analyzed today.

"As we dive further into our topic on crime, I've decided to assign a paper." Loud groans erupt from the class and Mapps raises his palms to silence them. "A _fun _paper. You will be writing about a criminal—not just any criminal, but one who had an intense trial, along with much media attention. I have a jar filled with names, so some of you will have the same people. The paper is due tomorrow."

"I don't see what's so fun about that," Brynn muttered a bit too loud.

"The fun part, Miss Kiley, is that the paper can be however long you please. As long as you prove your point—oh yes, that's the other thing I forgot to mention. The whole purpose of this paper is for you to decide whether or not they are guilty. The thing all these people had in common was that their cases were nail-biting—you couldn't be sure whether or not they were guilty. One minute, you would be convinced, the evidence was _right there. _And the next, someone else is making some grand confession and you're back to step one, asking yourself if they are truly guilty. I personally believe that some of these convicted criminals were innocent and that their cases should be reopened. However, I will let _you _decide."

Mapps began to walk up and down the aisles, giving the students tiny scraps of paper with names written on them. He would stop sometimes and discuss the person they had chosen and suggest books to look up and such.

Brynn leaned back in her chair. Leave it to Mapps to assign some stupid paper on her one free week night. Not only did she have this to do, but also an English quiz to study for and a reading assignment for Spanish Culture and Civ. _Oh College, how I despise you,_ she thought to herself.

A loud cough erupted from Jonathan and shook his body violently. It continued for a good half minute, becoming worse with each cough. Brynn inched further away in her seat to avoid the germs being tossed around. With one final cough, Jonathan dropped his face into his palms and sighed.

"Rough night?" Brynn asked, her eyes sweeping over the half-dead child. Jonathan turned his face to her and glared.

Mapps came over to their table, going to Brynn first. He held the jar out. Brynn reached inside and fished around for a name.

"Colby Roush," she read the name on the paper she had chosen. Brynn looked up at the professor. "Never heard of him."

"Mr. Roush was a serial killer whose trial happened about six years ago. He would rape his victims, murder them, then behead them and keep their heads above his mantle."

"Lovely…" Brynn muttered and began to fold the piece of paper.

Mapps held the jar out to Jonathan. The younger boy fished around and retrieved a scrap of paper. Jonathan clucked his tongue then showed the name to Professor Mapps.

"I can't say that I have ever heard of her," Jonathan said as Professor Mapps read the paper.

"You pulled out Olivia Rivers," Mapps told him causing Brynn's jaw to drop. _She _was one of the topics?

And Jonathan Crane had just been assigned to write about her.

"Her trial occurred in the early eighties," Mapps explained. "I remember following the case, beginning to end. Now that one had quite the media attention. They referred to her as the "Femme Fatale" due to the fact that she murdered three men in cold blood, all of them being past lovers. And then there was the love child she conceived with one of her victims, Charles Branden."

"Hmm, fascinating," Jonathan breathed. "I look forward to reading up on her case."

"Quite the interesting case, indeed. I'll be honest with you—she never came off as guilty to me. The evidence just didn't match up…" he trailed off. Mapps shook his head. "But I'll let you be the one to decide."

Their professor walked off to assign more criminals. Brynn stared at the name etched in blue ink until her vision began to blur. How was this happening? Why on earth would Mapps choose to assign that wretched human being to a student to learn about?

She had done such a good job of keeping thoughts about her mother out of her mind and out of her new life. Now she was breaking down the doors and announcing her presence to everyone.

Professor Mapps dismissed the students soon after handing out the scraps of paper. Everyone made a beeline for the door, one even knocking over a chair in the process. Brynn, Jonathan, and a few other students lingered behind for a moment longer to pack up their belongings.

Jonathan buckled the flap of his messenger bag and flung it over his shoulder. Out of nowhere, Brynn blurted out, "Guilty."

"Pardon?" Jonathan stopped and stared at her.

She kept her head down, pretending to busy herself with packing up her bag. "She's guilty. That Rivers chick," Brynn explained. She paused and looked up at Jonathan, her black eyes serious. "That's all you need to know about her."

She walked away, leaving a very confused Jonathan to ponder over her words.

**. . .**

"You seem a bit…irked. Is everything okay?" Cadence Kiley asked her younger sister.

The two girls were in Cadence's dorm room. Cadence sat crisscross on her bed staring at Brynn who sat at her sister's desk. Immediately, Brynn turned away and flipped through the glossy tabloid magazine in her lap.

"No, I'm fine," Brynn lied. She tucked a short strand of hair behind her ear.

"Liar," Cadence declared. "I can tell when you're lying, you know. You're messing with your hair."

Brynn sighed and put the magazine down. "I've just had a rough day. That's all."

"You want to talk about it?"

"I'd rather not," she muttered.

Cadence sighed, her pretty face breaking into a frown. "Is this about Dad cutting you off?"

Brynn's eyes widened at her sister's words. "How do you know about that?"

"Dad told Connie, Connie told me," Cadence shrugged. "Things don't stay quiet in our family."

_Obviously_, Brynn wanted to say. She swiveled the chair so she faced the window. Outside it was raining, the tiny drops bursting on the pavement. _Splat, splat, splat, splat, splat._

"Brynn, are you even listening to me?"

"Huh?"

"Exactly," the older Kiley muttered.

Brynn massaged her temples and gave her sister an apologetic look. "Sorry, Cadie. I'm just…distracted today. What were you saying?"

"Why is Dad cutting you off?" Cadence repeated.

"Grades," Brynn replied bitterly.

"Grades? What's wrong with your grades?"

_Drop it, Cadence, _Brynn thought darkly. Her sister could be such a snoop sometimes… "To put it quite simply, they _suck_."

"Oh," was Cadence's reply. "As in…B's and C's?"

A harsh laugh from Brynn filled the tiny dorm room. "You and I have very different ideas of what bad grades are. I'm talking _D's _and _F's_."

The look on Cadence's face was appalled. Her pink mouth formed a tiny _O_; her round gray eyes were the size of dinner plates. The expression was so horrified, so shocked, that one would think that Brynn had admitted to _murdering _someone.

"_Oh_," she managed to squeak out. "H-how did this happen?"

"Oh, you know," Brynn said, her eyes suddenly mischievous and playful. The eyes of Olivia Rivers. "I've adopted the rock star lifestyle: sex, drugs, and alcohol."

"Oh, my God, _Brynn_—"

"Kidding! Just kidding!"

"Not funny," Cadence growled.

Brynn eyed the clock on her sister's vanity. "I need to get going. I have to go write some stupid paper for Psychology."

Cadence nodded. She walked her sister to the door and opened it. Before Brynn walked through the threshold, Cadence grabbed her arm.

"Brynn just…behave, okay?" Cadence said gingerly. "I know it's college and everyone wants to socialize but you have to remember this decides where you end up in life. Don't get distracted."

"Cadence, I'll be fi—"

"No, I'm serious. You're…easily influenced, Brynn. I've noticed that in the last few years. It's almost as if…you're trying to prove something."

"Trying to prove something?" Brynn narrowed her eyes. "Like what?"

Cadence ran her hand through her light brown hair. She looked distressed. "Forget it. You need to go to the library."

"No, tell me. What am I trying to prove?"

"You're a people pleaser, Brynn. If someone tells you to change or do something, you do it. It's as though you're afraid they'll deny you or something. Especially around Mom and Dad. If they say no to something, you don't fight back at all. You just accept it. Don't take this the wrong way but I feel like you do it because you're afraid they'll remember who your mom was and think you'll turn out like her."

Brynn took a step back. "That's ridiculous. It has nothing to do with _her _or anything like that."

"But I know it bothers you, Brynn. I still vividly remember all those times during middle school when you would come home _bawling your eyes out _because someone brought up your parents," Cadence exclaimed.

"I came home crying because Nikki Grunder convinced the entire grade to call me '_Psycho Shit_!' I'm pretty sure anyone would cry about that," Brynn stated. She needed to stop this. Anymore and she would rip her hair out… "Can you drop it? I'm not a people pleaser and I'm not afraid people judge me because of who my parents are. I'm _over_ it."

The two girls stood there in silence. Cadence bit her lip and turned away from the glare her sister aimed at her. "You're right. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said anything…"

"It doesn't matter," Brynn muttered. "I need to go. I'll talk to you later."

Brynn walked down the hallway and out the door. Night was approaching and the overcast sky only made it seem darker. The rain had let up save for a light drizzle.

As Brynn walked down the sidewalk, she lost herself to her thoughts. What Cadence said wasn't true. Well, not entirely true. Brynn wasn't a people pleaser (or so she thought) and she didn't care if people knew who she actually was (then why did she never bring it up?).

_Shut up_, Brynn growled at the voice in her head.

And now she was talking to herself. _Great_.

Maybe therapy _hadn't _solved all her problems…

Brynn took a deep breath, clearing her mind of all thoughts. Through the trees, she could see yellow light pouring out of the library windows. Quickening her pace, Brynn left all thoughts about the conversation with her sister behind.

The library was at a comfortable temperature, an inviting escape from the cold, wet weather outside. Brynn shrugged her coat off as she walked in. Briefly her eyes wandered to the table in the back of the room. It was empty.

Behind the thesauruses and dictionaries were tiny cubicles with PCs. Brynn walked into one and sat down in the wooden chair. She stared at the black, dusty screen of the monitor, her reflection staring back. She pushed the on button and waited as the device whirred to life.

To her dismay, the computer was slow. Her fingers impatiently tapped the table top as the computer made concerning sounds. Right when she was convinced it was going to self-destruct, the Gotham University mascot popped up on the homepage to welcome her. Brynn clicked on an icon and began to search through the library's online archives.

An hour later, Brynn had a headache and a lousy paper typed up. There was also the growing stomachache forming from reading all the gruesome details about Colby Roush and his victims. Did the author really need to be _that _graphic?

Her eyes searched for mistakes when she heard the whir of the PC in the cubicle to her right. Brynn looked up briefly before dismissing the sound. Going back to the document her eyes searched for a print button or something. Honestly, Brynn had no idea how all this technology stuff worked. It had taken her a good hour to figure out how to turn on her bulky laptop when she had gotten it for her nineteenth birthday. Her knowledge of technology was practically nonexistent.

After quite the safari through the document options, Brynn located the print button. Her eyes swept over the document one last time—it wasn't her _best _work. But she had other homework to work on so Mapps would just have to deal with it.

"Looks like we're bullshitting it," Brynn muttered as she clicked the print button.

The printers were located all the way on the _other _side of the library. The university's way of having the students exercise, forcing them to walk back and forth again and again and again.

Which was ultimately what Brynn ended up doing.

She arrived at the printers only to find no document waiting for her to pick it up. Brynn waited for a moment, thinking it might just take a while to print. After waiting for two minutes, Brynn went back to her cubicle, clicked print again, and walked all the way back.

Still no document.

Walking back to the cubicle after her failed second attempt, Brynn peaked inside the cubicle next to hers. Jonathan sat before the computer, his nimble fingers typing away. An opened book sat in his lap. His head repeatedly ducked to read a passage and type some more.

Realization washed over Brynn: Jonathan was a nerd. Nerds liked technology. Therefore, Jonathan probably knew how to use a printer.

_Bingo. _

"Jonathan!" Brynn whispered causing his head to snap up in surprise. He swiveled around in his seat and frowned when he saw her standing in his cubicle.

"What?" Jonathan asked, his voice laced with irritation. The look he was giving her made it obvious that he wanted her to leave him be.

"I need help. I can't figure out how to print something."

"I'm busy," Jonathan dismissed her and went back to his paper. "Ask the librarian for help."

"Please," Brynn begged. Why couldn't she be pretty and convincing like Sydney or Meredith? Jonathan probably wouldn't even consider denying them.

"No."

Frustrated, Brynn took a step forward and nudged Jonathan in the back. "Please. Please. Please. Ple—"

The younger boy spun around and swatted her hand away. His blue eyes were livid, his lips pressed together tightly.

"I am _not _some servant, Brynn. I am not at your beck and call to do whatever it is you need me to do. Leave me alone," Jonathan hissed.

His tone sent her fleeing back to her cubicle. What was his _problem_?

"Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed," Brynn muttered. She reached for her mouse and clicked the printer button again. This time, a flashing box popped up on the screen.

"Uuuuugh," Brynn groaned. "Work!"

On the other side of the cubicle, the clicking of the keyboard stopped and there was a shuffling sound. A second later, Jonathan Crane was in her cubicle looking peeved.

"Move," Jonathan demanded. Brynn did as told as she watched Jonathan scan over her computer, feeling extremely confused. Change of heart, maybe?

"You used the wrong 'to.' It should be t-o-o," Jonathan muttered as he corrected the mistake. He looked back up at her. "Are you actually planning on turning this in?"

"Yeah…?"

Jonathan shook his head. "It's horrendous."

Brynn's face flared up. "I don't remember asking for your feedback."

"Yes, well, this paper is not going to get you a passing grade in Psychology," Jonathan replied. "Looks like 'Daddy' won't be filling your pockets anytime soon."

"Would you print my damn paper already, Jonathan?" Brynn hissed.

Jonathan stared at her, his eyes threatening, his expression hateful. Slowly turning back to the computer, Jonathan clicked the print button and stood to retrieve the paper with Brynn on his heels.

As she had predicted, the document was nowhere in sight. Jonathan analyzed the machine for a second before reaching on the side and pulling out a compartment. He turned back to Brynn, his eyes incredulous.

"It's out of _paper_, Brynn," Jonathan practically growled. He reached under the table the printer was perched on and pulled a stack out from the paper bin. Loading it with the paper, Jonathan pressed another button. Instantly the printer hummed to life and spat her papers out. Brynn stared at them dumbfounded.

"Oh," was her reply. Jonathan shoved past her and back to his cubicle.

"Dimwit," he muttered as he walked away.

"I heard that," Brynn snapped.

"Oops," Jonathan replied sarcastically.

"It's not my fault the printer didn't have any paper. I didn't know!"

The two walked back to his cubicle and Jonathan sat down in his seat. He gave Brynn a wary expression when he saw her standing at the entrance.

"Your computer is over there," he pointed. "Now stop being obnoxious and let me get back to my work."

Jonathan turned his back on her only irritating Brynn further. She took two more steps inside the cubicle and nudged him again, only this time harder.

"How about _you _pull the stick out of your ass," she hissed.

"_Excuse me_?"

"You heard me," she replied.

"Yes, loud and clear," Jonathan hissed. He turned back to his monitor and switched it off, the screen going black. His hand reached out for his messenger bag and he slung it over his shoulder then pushed past Brynn.

"Where are you going?" Brynn called, suddenly feeling guilty about her words.

"Why does it concern you?" Jonathan called over his shoulder, earning a _shh_ from the librarian. He pushed through the library doors and was gone.

_Way to go, _her conscience whispered. _He just helped you out and you bullied him. Great person you are…_

For some reason, Brynn walked out of the library and into the darkness outside, her eyes searching for Jonathan. She owed him an apology, especially after the stick comment. All he had done was try to help her and she had managed to be a bitch. True, he could have been a bit nicer and politely denied to help her instead of acting like a sourpuss. That didn't change what she had said though.

In the distance, she could make out a scrawny figure carrying a bulky bag. _Jonathan_. Brynn jogged in the direction he was headed. She was suddenly aware that she had left her coat in the library and was wearing short sleeves. Brynn tried to ignore the shivers that ran through her body.

She had almost caught up to him and was about to call his name when two men stepped out from the shadows in front of Jonathan. The younger boy abruptly stopped, his body tensing up. Brynn squinted, trying to make sense of what was happening and who had just appeared.

Griffin Montgomery, Brynn realized. And Riley O'Donaghue. The two boys from Psychology who had thrown paper airplanes at Jonathan a few weeks ago.

Instinct made Brynn step behind a tree and out of sight. She watched from afar as the two circled Jonathan, cracking jokes and taunting him.

"Shouldn't be out at night by yourself, Crane," Griffin said. "Especially in Gotham. Bad things tend to happen."

Jonathan remained still, his back to Brynn. His fingers were twitching and fidgeting uncontrollably. Why wasn't he trying to get away?

Griffin said something Brynn didn't catch but it made Riley explode into laughter.

"Queer. Faggot," Riley taunted. "Dick."

"Can't call him that if he doesn't have one," Griffin said to his friend. Riley let out another howl of laughter.

Brynn's heart thudded as she watched the scene unfold. There was no way she could intervene and stop them; that would most likely result in her getting beaten, or worse, raped. So she remained planted behind the tree, praying that no blood would be shed.

The taunts continued and Jonathan remained absolutely silent. There were moments when he would shrink back a bit; both boys were a good foot taller than he was. Just when Brynn thought they had had enough, Jonathan said something. Brynn couldn't make out what it was but she was surprised to hear that Jonathan's voice was smooth and controlled as opposed to a tiny squeak.

Whatever he had said pissed them off because a second later Griffin's fist was plummeting into Jonathan's cheek.

The boy was on the ground in a heartbeat, a loud gasp escaping his mouth. Riley lunged for his arms and pinned him down as Griffin stood above him. His foot swung back, preparing to kick the boy in the ribs.

A loud shriek escaped Brynn's mouth. Immediately, she clamped her hands over her mouth. The two boys' heads snapped up. Even Jonathan tried to turn around to see who it was.

"Come out," Griffin demanded. Brynn didn't dare move. "Now!"

Slowly, Brynn revealed herself from her hiding place, her hands shaking. Griffin and Riley's eyes lit up and the shark-like grins returned to their faces.

Oh, she was going to get it. She was going to get it badly.

Riley stood up and slowly walked over to Brynn. "I know you," he stated. "You sit next to the faggot in Psychology."

Brynn eyed him, her voice locked away in her throat. Griffin was coming up behind his friend now, leaving Jonathan on the ground, coughing. No one else was around to aid them.

"Brynn Kiley, right?" Riley asked, a mischievous grin forming on his face. "You work at All-Stars. I hear you give your customers head in the kitchen."

"Really," Brynn said, keeping her voice flat. So much for people not knowing about her gig…

"Tell me, do you take outside customers?" Riley said slowly. Brynn watched in horror as he began to unzip his pants.

Behind them, Jonathan cleared his throat. He was on his feet now, the street lights reflecting off of his glasses. His mouth was set in a straight line.

"Boys," Jonathan said slowly. "I think we can all agree that this is between the three of us and not her."

"Oh come on, Jonny Boy," Griffin teased. "We're just trying to have some fun."

"Ain't that the truth, baby girl?" Riley said to Brynn. She took a step back, her eyes darting around wildly.

"I'm serious," Jonathan said, his voice firm. "Leave her out of it."

"Griffin, I think the baby has a wittle crush," Riley laughed.

"I think so. She your squeeze, Jonny Boy? You tappin' that?"

The younger boy's face turned bright red but his eyes remained serious. They found Brynn's before flickering back to Riley and Griffin.

"Like I said: this is between the three of us," he stated. He turned to Brynn. "Go home, Brynn."

Her feet screamed at her to walk but her conscience kept her glued to the spot. Jonathan was going to get the living daylights knocked out of him if she left. Brynn wasn't even sure if he'd survive it…

"Not so fast," Riley lifted his hand. "Griffin and I were expecting something from her. We want the 'All-Stars' treatment."

"Like hell I'd give you one," Brynn snarled, finally finding her voice. "I'd rather be dragged to the bottom of the ocean than have that stuck in my face…"

"We could arrange for that to happen," Griffin replied dangerously.

Jonathan took another step towards them, his eyes trained on the two bigger boys. "I'm warning you_. Leave her out of it_."

"Crane, why don't you shut the fuck up," Riley hissed and grabbed Jonathan by his shirt collar, ready to pummel the life out of him.

"Hey!" Brynn exclaimed. Her underarms and palms were damp with sweat and her voice was shaky. Slowly, Brynn reached into her pocket and pulled out her wallet, retrieving six twenty dollar bills. She threw them on the ground. "Take it and leave us alone."

Griffin and Riley eyed the money on the pavement. After a tense moment, Riley released Jonathan and threw him to the ground. He scooped up the money and handed three bills to Griffin.

"Atta girl," Riley murmured. He winked at her before walking away. "We'll be back, Crane. I look forward to seeing you again…as for you, baby girl."

Jonathan scurried off the ground and grabbed Brynn by the arm, dragging her away. She fought against his grip which was surprisingly strong for a stick like him. Once they were back at the library, he released her.

"Are you out of your mind?" he hissed.

"What are you talking about? I just got us out of that."

"No, you worsened the situation." Jonathan began to pace, running his hands through his wavy, dark hair. When he looked back at her, his eyes were accusing.

"How did I worsen it?" Brynn exclaimed. "Had it not been for me you would have been screwed."

Suddenly, Jonathan spun on his heel and got up in Brynn's face. His breaths were coming out violently, his chest heaving up and down.

"You know how you're not supposed to feed wild animals because they keep coming back for more? That's basically what you did by paying them to leave us alone. They'll expect more money and continuously harass us. Had you not interfered, they would have beaten me and been on their way, never sparing me a second thought. I could have had this under control, Brynn."

His words only angered her. "Why don't you stand up for yourself, Jonathan? Letting them hurt you like that is just empowering them. _Fight back_."

Jonathan let out a humorless chuckle. "You really are an oblivious girl. People like me can't fight back. We have to accept it and just hope for the better. Someone like you wouldn't understand."

He turned away and started walking, leaving Brynn utterly confused. What was that supposed to mean? Why would he accept being tormented like that?

"Jonathan," she called. He ignored her and disappeared into the night as though the last ten minutes had never occurred.

**. . . **

**A/N: ***I changed the ending to this chapter after realizing I made Jonathan way too harsh. If you read the previous ending, then you'll know what I really had planned out but I thought this worked better for the story.*** **

**I tried to incorporate little tidbits of information about Brynn into the chapter so I hope you feel like you have a better understanding of her. **

**Shout out to everyone! Musicaddict1, chocolate bear, daisydoll, topas, nero666, masterofpuppets, mr. frost, mastermind, AlainHotCoco1, and lilyflower, you are all awesome! I'm absolutely shocked at the feedback this story is getting, thank you so much! Special shout out to AlainHotCoco1 for her idea that she PMed me! Any ideas are welcomed if you have them, so just PM me:)**


	10. Chapter 10

_White. Everywhere. White walls. White ceiling. White light._

_This surely couldn't be Heaven. Not after everything she had done in life, there was no way she could be in Heaven. _

_Olivia's eyes fluttered as she fought to keep them open. The light was blinding and made her head hurt. Funny. She thought she wouldn't experience pain after death. _

_Maybe this was her own personal Hell?_

_The agonizing pain in her head grew, causing her to groan. Olivia rolled her head around only worsening the pain. Her hand reached up to touch it. Some type of material had been wrapped around her head. Something that felt like a bandage, or gauze. _

_Olivia noticed a beeping sound coming from her left. Slowly, painfully, she lifted her head to see what was making the obnoxious sound. Was that a cardiac monitor? What was that doing in Hell?_

"_Good to see you're awake," came a voice. _

_Instead of turning, Olivia's eyes remained on the machine. The jagged green lines hypnotized her, the beeping sound ringing in her ears. _Beep…beep…beep.

_She turned to look at the speaker. A man with thin, graying hair wearing medical scrubs. "Am I dead?" Olivia croaked, her voice ragged._

"_No, but you've been in a coma for the last two months. That bullet you lodged into your brain really did some damage. Luckily, the doctors were able to save you and repair everything," he explained. _

"_Oh," Olivia nodded. Her tired black eyes swept over the room again. "Where…where am I?"_

"_The medical wing of Blackgate Prison," he replied. _

"_Blackgate?"_

"_Yes."_

"_Why?"_

_The doctor gave her a stern look. "I think we both know why you're here, Miss Rivera."_

"_Miss Rivera," Olivia muttered. The man's statement was making no sense to her at the moment so she pushed it out of her mind. "Nobody's called me that in years…"_

"_Yes, well, it seems that everyone will be referring to you as that in these next few months," the man replied. "I'll notify the detective to let him know you're awake. For now you need to rest."_

_He left, leaving her more confused than ever before. _

**. . .**

"Giiiiiirl's niiiiight!" Sydney bellowed at the top of her lungs.

Brynn plugged her ears shut and grimaced at her friend's voice. She watched as Sydney danced around the room, her wild blonde curls bouncing playfully. In one hand, she held a horror film; in the other, a bottle of tequila.

"Careful with that!" Brynn scolded as Sydney nearly dropped the glass bottle. Her friend grinned at her, taking a large swig from the bottle.

"You worry too much," Sydney teased. She flipped her hair over her shoulder and checked the alarm clock by her bed. "The others should be here by now."

"The others?" Brynn asked. "I thought it was just us tonight?"

"I invited some other girls from the floor," Sydney replied. "They should be here any second."

Right when she said it, a loud knocking rattled the door. On the other side, loud and excited voices were made audible. Sydney practically pranced to the door and threw it open.

"Hey!" she exclaimed and was greeted by excited squeals.

Brynn leaned over to see who Sydney had invited. Standing in the doorway were Malai Po, Erin Schiff, Alana Soellner, and Serena Lamar. She recognized some of them from classes and Erin and Malai shared a bathroom with them. Brynn grinned at them.

Maybe a girl's night wouldn't be so bad. She could use one of these, especially after dealing with the stress from school and All-Stars.

Each girl carried some sort of food item, their arms filled with bags of chips, desserts, and sodas. Serena carried a stack of shot glasses. One glance at them and Sydney's eyes lit up.

"Now it's a party," Sydney giggled excitedly as she made a grab for the glasses. In an instant, she turned from wild college student to bartender.

"We haven't even been here for five minutes and you're already drunk," Alana laughed. She handed Sydney a two liter of Mountain Dew and watched as Sydney mixed it with the tequila.

"Not yet," Sydney declared. She threw back the concoction and swallowed it in one sip.

"She knows how to hold her liquor," Brynn explained. "It'll be a good hour before she starts slurring her words."

Malai and Alana plopped down on Sydney's bed and Serena and Erin sat on Brynn's bed. Sydney handed each girl a shot glass.

"Control yourself, Syd," Brynn said sternly. "You have class tomorrow."

Sydney stuck her tongue out at her. "Calm down, Brynnie. I swear you've turned into such a mom this year. Remember when you used to be _fun_?"

"_Used_ to be fun? I'm pretty sure I still am!"

Brynn snatched the bottle of tequila and took three long swigs. The liquid had a foul taste and her face puckered up. The other girls cheered.

"Hand it over," Serena said, grabbing the bottle from Brynn. Out of the six girls, it was safe to say Brynn, Sydney and Serena had been the party animals in high school. After Serena chugged the liquid, the bottle was nearly half empty.

For the next hour, the girls gossiped, snacked, drank and told ghost stories. Erin had flipped the lights off and shone a flashlight into her face, her voice taking a sinister turn as she told a murder story. Everyone sat rigidly as they listened to her.

"She walked down the hall, slowly, as the creaking noise grew louder. _Creeak. Creeeak. Creeeeak._ Finally, she reached the bedroom and pushed the door open," Erin whispered, her lined green eyes wide. The others were stock-still as they waited for the climax. "In the middle of the room was a rocking chair, the culprit of the creaking noise. It slowly rocked back and forth but was empty. _Creeeak. Creeak. Creeeeak. _The girl walked into the room and stood over the chair. Abruptly, it stopped rocking and all was still. _BAM!_"

All the girls jumped and screamed. Erin was on her feet now, speaking quickly, moving her hands around animatedly. "The spirit of the dead man attacked her and threw her back against the wall! Like a wild animal, it ripped her soul apart. The entire time she screamed, her desperate cries unheard. Months later, the police found her decaying body in the rocking chair, the horrified look still glued to her face."

"I think I've had enough scary stories for tonight," Malai whispered nervously. She and Alana were gripping each other, their eyes wild.

Erin gave her a demented smile. "But we're just beginning. I have one story about a psychopath who watches college students from their windows."

"Starring Jonathan Crane as the psychopath," Brynn murmured.

Serena shot up and looked down at Brynn. "You know Scarecrow?!"

"Scarecrow?" Brynn questioned.

"Jonathan, I mean. That was the name we used for him back in high school," Serena slurred.

Brynn pulled herself up. Her hair was a wild mess from lying down for so long and her head was beginning to pound from all the alcohol. "You went to high school with the Dweeb Lord? Well that _sucks_."

"Tell me about it," Serena replied as she took another needy sip of the tequila. "How d'ya know him?"

"He sits next to me in Psychology. I swear he gives me these looks like he wants to kill me or something."

Serena shivered. She ran her hands over her dark arms, trying to warm herself up. "Can we just rant about Jonathan Crane for a second? Because no one has ever freaked me out as much as he did."

The others were leaning forward, intrigued. Sydney passed around the bowl of popcorn as Serena and Brynn started bashing on the boy.

"He was worse in high school," Serena said. "Creepier, I mean. I remember during lunch he used to just _stare_ at people and if you looked at him he wouldn't look away. It was as though he was looking into your soul."

"Still does that," Brynn muttered. "Did he get moved up a few grades or just accepted into college early?"

"He moved up from fourth grade to fifth grade then fifth to sixth. I think he was in the fifth grade for a month at most before they decided to move him up again. And he won _everything_ that was related to academics. Spelling Bee, Geography Bowl, you name it. The kid was a freaking genius. I remember I sat next to him in seventh grade English and we had to write a paper about our family. When it was passed back, I saw that Jonathan had gotten a C on it. I'm not joking, he looked like he was about to cry. Whether it was over the grade or the fact that he had no family, I'm not sure. Though I'm pretty sure it was the fact that he had gotten a C…" Serena's brows furrowed as she tried to decide for herself.

"Aww, he didn't have a family?" Sydney blubbered. By now, she was wasted and talking nonsense. "Poor _baby_."

"You just referred to Jonathan Crane as 'poor baby,'" Brynn said. Sydney simply shrugged and stuffed more popcorn into her mouth.

"I think he lived with a relative but he didn't have any parents or siblings," Serena explained. "You know, there were times when I felt kind of bad for him. He was bullied relentlessly, didn't have a family, was in a grade where everyone was two or three years older than him. He didn't have a single friend. Even the other nerds picked on him! But then whenever someone would attempt to be nice to him, he was so _rude. _Jonathan Crane is by far the most arrogant, self-centered person I've ever met. He _knows _how smart he is."

Brynn snorted. "Sounds like Jonathan to me."

"He doesn't sound _that _creepy," Alana said to them. "Just really nerdy and insecure."

For the second time, Brynn snorted. "Uh, have you met the kid?"

Serena nodded in agreement. "He's the creepiest person I've ever met. Like I said, he'd just _stare _at people. If you did manage to strike up a conversation with him—which was hardly ever—he would ask all these personal questions and try to get inside your head. Aw man, he would always ask this one question…oh, what was it…oh yeah!" Serena exclaimed. She changed her voice, making it deeper and more masculine. "'What do you _fear_?'"

"What do you fear?" Erin asked.

"Yepp. 'What do you fear?' No one would admit it, but we were all kind of scared of him. We used to place bets on how long it would be before he snapped and brought a gun to school."

The room was quiet as the information sunk in. Brynn's theories about the younger boy had been right all along—no friends, picked on, all of that. But Jonathan bringing a gun to school? That took it to a whole new extreme. She had never realized just how screwed up this kid actually was. If other students were scared of a twig like Jonathan and were convinced he'd attempt to kill someone, he clearly had some issues.

Everyone's thoughts were interrupted when Sydney began to snore. _Loudly._ The bottle of tequila was tucked under her arm lovingly. Drool was beginning to pool on the sheets of her bed.

Malai and Alana stood, claiming they were tired and needed to wake up early for class tomorrow. Erin was on their tail, bidding Brynn and Serena farewell. The two girls, as well as an unconscious Sydney, remained.

"I have a question," Brynn said suddenly. Serena was in the process of smoothing out her brown waves. She raised a plucked brow at Brynn.

"Hmm?"

"In high school…did Jonathan ever carry around a little black notebook?"

Serena paused, trying to recall memories of the little black book. After a moment, she shook her head. "He'd carry reading material around all the time and we usually stole it or hid it from him. But a notebook, no, I don't recall him having one. Why?"

Brynn shrugged, not really wanting to bring up the subject of the notebook she had found in his bag weeks ago. "Just wondering."

"I mean, if he did have one, it was hidden. Jonathan was smart enough not to carry personal things around in case they were stolen."

Then why was he carrying it around in college? She had witnessed firsthand Jonathan being bullied. Heck, she'd even been in the middle of it. If he was still being bullied, why would he risk having something like that stolen?

Brynn pushed the thought out of her head and smiled at her new friend. "I should probably get to bed. Tonight was fun, we should do it some other time."

Serena nodded in agreement. "Definitely. I'll call you this weekend if you want to hang out."

"Sounds good. See ya."

"Bye."

**. . .**

The room reeked of vomit and alcohol.

Brynn pinched her nose as she tried to get ready for class. In the bathroom, she could hear Sydney emptying the contents of her stomach. The gurgling and coughing made her stomach roll. Brynn grimaced as nausea swept over her.

She felt as though she had been hit by a train. Her head throbbed violently and she looked like death. The hangover she was suffering from was nowhere near as bad as Sydney's but she still felt horrendous.

Unable to deal with the stench any longer, Brynn cracked the window open and sucked in the air outside. It was cold and refreshing, instantly making her feel a little bit better.

Now if only it could do something about her puffy face and red eyes.

"Sydney," she croaked. A muffled reply came from the bathroom. "I need to go to class. If you need something, call me."

Whimpering came next and was soon followed by the sound of sloshing water. Brynn held her breath as she walked by the bathroom, afraid that the smell would only cause her to vomit. She wondered if the other girls were suffering from hangovers as well.

The entire walk to the university building was practically an uphill battle. At one point, Brynn had to stop and take deep breaths, willing her stomach to behave. Somehow she managed to make it to the building and ride up the elevator. Brynn was slightly bent over as she walked into Psychology and practically crawled to her desk.

_Don't puke, don't puke, don't puke, _she silently chanted to herself. Carefully she sat down and sighed. Jonathan was seated next to her, watching curiously. Out of the corner of her eye, Brynn could see a large, purple bruise that had formed on his cheek.

"You're hung over," Jonathan stated matter-of-factly.

"N-no," Brynn lied. She was so _hot_. She shrugged her jacket off and began to fan herself with her folder.

"You're lying," was his reply. "You look as though you are about to die."

"It's the flu," she muttered. She coughed, trying to be convincing.

"Really? You were fine yesterday."

What was he doing? His expression was smug so he clearly wasn't worried about her well-being. Most likely he was getting a kick out of seeing her in pain.

"I don't know what you're talking about. I feel fine," she whispered. Her eyelids drooped shut and her head pounded mercilessly. The pain in her stomach was another story entirely.

She heard Jonathan's chair scrape against the tile floor. He was scooting closer, trying to get a better look. Brynn forced her eyelids open and _slowly_ turned her head to look at him. Her mouth twitched into a smile (which looked more like a grimace than anything).

Jonathan sat sideways in his chair, facing her. His smooth chin was propped on top of his hand, a smirk tugging at his lips. His light blue eyes shone with something similar to amusement as he analyzed her. His happiness at her discomfort annoyed her.

"I feel…wonderful," Brynn managed to say. Her stomach lurched and she gripped her chair. The smirk grew wider on his pale face. "Never better."

Jonathan slowly nodded. "I mean, you look hung over _to me_. Your face is ghostly pale with a green tint; your eyes are bloodshot, your hair's a mess; you look as through you might die at any moment. I must be imaging the stench of vomit and alcohol." He shrugged his shoulders in an I-don't-know fashion. "Maybe it's just me."

"I think it's just you," she agreed. Oh dear Lord, her stomach…

"You know, I heard they're getting a new burger on All-Stars' menu," he said slowly. Brynn's eyes widened. _Don't you dare, Jonathan Crane, _her conscience screamed. _Don't you dare!_

"It's supposed to weigh five pounds," he told her. "Can you believe that? _Five pounds!_ It's going to have ketchup and lettuce and cheese and mayonnaise and French fries and _meat_. Lots and lots of meat."

Brynn clamped her mouth shut as she felt the bile rise in her throat. This wasn't going to end well…

"But forget the burger. Did you hear about that cannibal they found in the Narrows? The papers say he was gnawing on an arm when they found him."

Brynn's eyes widened as she felt the nausea make its way from her stomach to her mouth. She grasped her stomach and covered her mouth with her hand. All of a sudden, she lurched forward.

"Brynn?" Jonathan said carefully. He couldn't keep the grin off his face and was trying hard not to snicker. "Did you just throw up in your mouth?"

She forced herself to swallow and said shakily, "Just a little."

Professor Mapps closed the door to the classroom and began to collect the papers he had assigned the previous day. Brynn blindly searched through her backpack for the essay.

"First the cigarette, now this," Jonathan murmured as he watched her struggle. "When will you ever learn?"

"You know, there's a good chance I might throw up on you," Brynn growled. There was no way she could sit through all her classes today. The moment Psychology was over, she was going straight to her room and sleeping until it was time for her English class. She'd take the quiz and return to the dorm and fall into a NyQuil induced coma.

"Perhaps you shouldn't party on weeknights if not at all," he replied, his know-it-all voice really beginning to piss her off.

"I'm beginning to wish I had left you to those guys last night," Brynn whispered. She closed her eyes, willing the headache to go away. "A bruise on the other cheek would look much better than just one."

That managed to shut him up. Jonathan returned to the correct sitting position and shrugged. Briefly, his hand went to his cheek and gently touched the bruise that had formed.

Mapps collected their papers. He paused for a moment, inspecting Brynn.

"Are you alright, Miss Kiley?"

Her head began to nod but then turned into shaking. Brynn could hardly keep her eyes opened and the room was beginning to spin. When did the lights become so blinding? And why were her senses on high?

Sensing that at any moment she could puke on his tidy floors, Mapps pointed towards the door. "Perhaps you should go back to your dorm, Miss Kiley. You look a little under the weather…"

Unable to protest, Brynn nodded in agreement and dragged her book bag out of the room. Seventy pairs of eyes watched as she half limped, half walked to the door and left. As if on cue, her stomach rolled and bile rose in her throat. She ran to the nearest object (which happened to be a flower pot) and hurled.

Brynn coughed up the remainders of her stomach and groaned. She felt a little better now that her stomach was clear but the headache remained. Regret for the previous night overwhelmed her. What on earth had possessed her to drink on a school night? Had Cadence been right about her being easily influenced?

She pushed the questions from her head and dragged herself back to her dorm, immediately collapsing into bed and slept for the remainder of the day.

**. . .**

**A/N: Chapter 10 was a filler (I think?). A filler is just an informational chapter…right? You'd think after two years of belonging to this website, I'd know all the terminology. Sadly, I don't and usually just nod and smile when it's used, pretending I know what's going on. *Sigh.* I guess it was a filler. I mean, we learned more about Olivia and Jonathan. I dunno… (If anyone wants to get me a birthday present in the future, a terminology book of FF . net would be GREATLY appreciated…)**

**Warning: kind of a long A/N. I have things to address.**

**I'm beginning to consider having Jonathan's P.O.V. come into the story sometime soon. They wouldn't be entire chapters, but brief moments every now and then. I'm not sure because of my original idea to have the parts but since so many people have been asking for his P.O.V. I might change it. Idk. What would you guys like to see?**

**In the next few chapters, the flashbacks of Olivia and other moments will be occurring more frequently. Before now, I had them appear almost every other chapter. Now there will be one every chapter (for a certain amount of time then it will go back to being every few chapters) and there will be some chapters with multiple flashback scenes. I wanted to get the background story going and there's quite a bit of it. Lucky for you guys, the chapters will be longer and therefore more to read… ;)**

**As I've stated before, Jonathan and Brynn have a rocky relationship. So if anyone has any good ideas for little arguments or awkward situations to throw those two into, lemme know! I've had a few suggestions already and would love to hear your guys' ideas. I have a lot of situations thought of for the story, but I could use a few more "little" plots. You know what I mean? If you're confused, let me know and I'll try my best to explain. **

**Thank you Musicaddict1, chocolate bear, and AlainHotCoco1 for reviewing! Also to those who followed/favorite the story. I'll admit I was kind of sad when I saw that the chapter didn't get as much feedback as it had the last few chapters. I understand that it's kind of my fault—it was a rushed chapter and IDK, maybe you guys liked the original ending. But the idea of Jonathan just standing there if Brynn were to possibly be assaulted just didn't sit well with me. I mean she wouldn't have but that's pretty much what I had him say. Yes Jonathan's a cold, cruel character. But honestly, I just couldn't see him standing there like, Oh Brynn could possibly be raped. Whateva. Maybe older JC would do that, but at the moment lil JC wouldn't (maybe for someone like Sydney he'd allow that to happen to…). And it wouldn't really make much sense if one minute he's talking her out of a cigarette but allows Griffin and Riley to do something gross to her. Once again, sorry if you guys didn't like the changed ending. In a way, it works better for future events that they left together. I hope you guys aren't mad at me and that's why you didn't review :( Maybe you're all on vacation or something but I think it was because it was a shitty chapter. I'm sorry :( **

**So yeah, that was a super long A/N. R&R! I'm planning on having one more chapter up before break is over, so plan on having an update Sunday. Have a wonderful New Year's everyone! (Yeah, it's late I know…)**


	11. Chapter 11

Anyone with a brain would have been able to tell that Jonathan was being picked on. The young boy would walk quickly, always alert, double-checking the shadows. Griffin and Riley would watch him in class. They were birds of prey, stalking their victim, waiting for the right moment to swoop and attack. When it would happen, no one was sure. At the moment, they were still circling in the sky.

Brynn wasn't surprised when they did swoop and attack. _How _they did it was what shocked her.

Halloween was in a few days and the weather had taken a turn for the worse. The temperature had dropped to the low forties and there was a constant drizzling of rain. Brynn liked to think of the foul weather as Mother Nature's bitch-slap to the city for all the pollution.

Brynn wrapped her arms tighter around her body as she and her brother, Conrad, walked on the sidewalk. The siblings had eaten lunch together and caught up. Brynn had also informed her older brother about her flunking grades, the punishment her father had bestowed upon her, and her job at All-Stars.

"If my schedule wasn't so crazy," Conrad said through chattering teeth, "I'd help you out with Psychology. There's a good chance I still have my notes and tests from the class if you'd want them."

Brynn nodded gratefully. "Yeah, definitely. And don't tell Mom or Dad about…my job. Cadence doesn't even know. I feel like I've disgraced the family enough due to my grades."

They turned a corner and were greeted by a powerful gust of wind. Rain water assaulted Brynn's face and she blinked to keep it out of her eyes. "You're not a disgrace, Brynn," Conrad scolded her. "College is rough. By second semester, you'll get the hang of it."

Brynn barked out a laugh. "You'd think I'd have it down by now."

Further up the sidewalk, a large crowd had gathered by the flagpole. Brynn craned her neck to get a better look at what they were laughing at.

"What's going on?" Brynn asked. Abruptly, she stopped. Her jaw practically fell to the ground when she saw what—_who_, to be exact—the crowd was gathered around. "Oh. My. _God."_

Jonathan Crane was duct taped to the flagpole.

And from this angle, Brynn realized that he seemed to be lacking clothing…

Lord, have mercy.

He was staring straight ahead, pretending to ignore the laughing people gathered below him. His lips were pressed firmly together, his dark hair matted to his forehead and falling into his eyes. The large glasses he usually wore were missing. From where she stood, there was no denying the apparent humiliation in his unnerving blue eyes.

"Oh, this is absolutely _disgusting_," Conrad growled. He walked off the sidewalk and headed towards the group.

"Conrad?" Brynn ran after him. "What are you doing?"

"Hey!" Conrad's loud voice bellowed. Instantly, the crowd turned to look at him and visibly shrank back. Conrad was no bully but he was _intimidating_. At 6'5, he made the toughest guys squirm. "There's nothing to see here. _Scram._"

Without a moment's hesitation, the crowd cleared out. Jonathan was beginning to squirm. He probably thought Conrad was going to torment him, Brynn realized.

"Hey, bud, I'm gonna get you down from there," Conrad explained to the shivering boy.

Jonathan's eyes flashed to the two Kileys. "I-I don't n-need your h-_help_. I can g-get d-d-_down _by myself," he growled.

Conrad nodded slowly. "Yeah well, I insist."

"Well I insist that you _leave me be_," Jonathan hissed.

Conrad and Brynn exchanged glances. Jonathan was beginning to squirm again. Rainwater was running down his thin body causing him to shiver more violently. After a moment of squirming and twisting, he gave up and closed his eyes in defeat.

Conrad reached into his backpack and pulled out a pair of scissors. He pulled himself onto the concrete base of the flagpole where Jonathan was perched on and inspected the task at hand.

"I'm Conrad, by the way," he said. "That's Brynn."

Without looking in her direction, Jonathan nodded. "Brynn and I are well aware of each other."

Brynn nodded awkwardly, unsure of what to say to that. Dread washed over her face.

"Um, Jonathan?" she said carefully.

"What?" he snapped. Brynn swallowed, unable to believe what she was about to ask.

"Do you…um…you know," she said slowly. The irritated look on his face made it obvious that he had no idea what she was talking about. Brynn gulped and averted her eyes from his glare. "Have…underwear…on?"

Talk about awkward…

The look Jonathan gave her was the most appalled, most scandalized, most _embarrassed _look Brynn had ever received. Even Conrad cringed a little. Jonathan's face turned fire engine red at the question. He managed to keep his voice under control when he answered.

"The people who did this to me were kind enough to leave my under garments on," Jonathan said, his voice dripping with sarcasm and humiliation.

"O-okay," Brynn squeaked. She could only imagine that her face was as red as his.

Jonathan must have been jumped because his book bag was thrown to the side with its contents spilling out. Nearby, his clothes were wadded up. Brynn grabbed them and did her best to smooth the wrinkles out. His clothes were sopping wet from the rain.

Conrad nearly had Jonathan out of his confinement when Brynn noticed something peeping out of Jonathan's bag. _His notebook. _The front cover was speckled with rain drops.

The overwhelming curiosity that had forced her to look through the book the first time was back. She looked over her shoulder. Jonathan was staring in the other direction and Conrad paid no attention to her. If she was quick, neither would notice…

_No!_ her conscience hissed. _He's having a bad enough day already. Taking his things won't make him feel any better. _

But her dark side was overpowering. _You know you want to,_ the voice echoed in her head. _Just a peak_.

Her hand reached out and snatched it. Within seconds, the notebook was tucked away in her own bag.

"There you go," Conrad said as he cut through the remaining duct tape. With a loud _rip, _he and Jonathan pulled it off the front of his body. The younger boy winced as the tape was ripped off his skin. He scrambled down and made a beeline for his clothes. Brynn looked away quickly after accidentally catching a glimpse of Jonathan's dark blue boxers.

"Hey, Jonathan?" Conrad called. He looked over at Brynn and whispered, "It's Jonathan, right?"

"_Yes_?" Jonathan asked exasperatedly. His shaking fingers were buttoning his white dress shirt.

"How long were you taped to that?"

A soaked sweater vest was being pulled over his large head. Jonathan straightened it out and scowled when he realized the vest was ruined. "Two hours."

"_Two hours_?" Brynn gasped. How was he not dead of hypothermia? "And no one stopped to help?"

"Not a single person," Jonathan muttered. He quickly slipped his belt through the loops of his pants.

The notebook in her bag pressed against her hip. _Give it back_. Brynn swallowed and shifted her bag around. "I'm going to take a wild guess but I'm assuming Griffin and Riley did this to you?"

"Along with a few others."

Jonathan slipped on his loafers. A pale hand reached up to his hair and pushed it out of his face. His eyes blindly searched for his glasses.

"Oh, where are they?" he muttered to himself. Carefully, he began feeling around with his feet.

"To your left," Conrad piped up. He leaned forward but was beaten by Jonathan.

"I've got it," Jonathan snapped. He cleaned the lenses off with his sweater then slipped them on. The boy blinked a few times to adjust to the clearness.

An awkward silence followed. Jonathan smacked his lips making a popping sound. "I'd best be leaving. Wouldn't want to interfere with your daily routines."

He quickly walked past them, not even thanking them for their help. Jonathan scurried around the corner and was gone.

"He's…interesting," Conrad murmured. "How do you know him?"

"It's a long story," Brynn replied. Guilt for taking his notebook coursed through her veins. How was she going to talk herself out of this one? She highly doubted Jonathan would believe that he had "left" it behind. The missing notebook could send him into a frenzy. As far as he knew, one of the bullies could have stolen it.

Brynn had a pretty good feeling that if anyone else saw Jonathan's journal or whatever it was, he would be _screwed_…

**. . .**

_Olivia remained in the medical wing of Blackgate for another month. The moment the doctors released her, she was placed in a cold, metal room. _

_She sat at a metal table, wrists and feet cuffed to the chair. The room was freezing. Fighting the restraints holding her back, Olivia attempted to rub her knees together to warm up. Doing so was no use. _

_The large door creaked open and in walked a skinny, middle-aged man with greasy hair. He carried a briefcase and manila folder. The man pulled the chair on the opposite side of the table out from under and took a seat. _

"_Hello, Miss Rivers," he said, his voice nasally and rather high for a man. "My name is Larry Tobin. I'll be your lawyer during your case."_

_She kept her mouth shut and stared at him. _

_Mr. Tobin nodded and clasped his hands together. "Very well, we can play it that way." He opened the manila folder and inspected it. _

"_Olivia Rivers," he read. "Born August 7__th__, 1955 in Mexico. Your father is unknown and your mother was an illegal immigrant who was later deported. You changed your name from Ofelia Rivera to Olivia Rivers on your eighteenth birthday. As an occupation, you were a prostitute and I understand that is how you met Mr. Branden, am I correct?"_

_No answer. _

_Tobin sighed in annoyance and continued reading. "I'll take that as a yes. You and Mr. Branden conceived a child—a girl—in late '74 and she was born in June of '75. At the moment, your child is living in the Gotham Orphanage and you are restricted from seeing her. You are being accused of the murders of Charles Branden, the girl's father as well as William Hannigan and Antoine Banks. All of whom were past 'customers.' Does that sound about right?"_

_For the third time, Olivia did not answer. She fixed her gaze on the light fixture hanging above their heads. Irritation practically radiated off of Mr. Tobin._

"_Unless you want to spend the rest of your days in prison, Miss Rivers, I suggest you _cooperate_," Tobin growled. _

_Olivia let out a low, humorless chuckle. Charcoal colored eyes found Tobin's face and focused on him. "You expect me to cooperate? The man I loved was murdered and I'm being blamed for it. My poor girl has been locked away and you cut off any communication I might have with her. I didn't kill any of those men, Mr. Tobin. I am _innocent _yet you people choose to look the other way and believe _every single word_ the papers release on me. I can't even recall the other two men." _

"_Yes, well seeing as to how you have no alibi and your DNA was found on the murder weapon, it will be _very _hard to convince the jury otherwise. Therefore, I suggest you cooperate and I'll do my best to prove you innocent. Is that understood?"_

_A tense moment passed before Olivia gave in. "Fine. What do you need to know?"_

"_Nothing," was Tobin's reply. "You just go along with whatever I have to say. You will not speak unless you are in the stands and you will say what I tell you to say."_

_Olivia's nostrils flared but she kept her mouth shut. "Very well then."_

_Tobin's mouth formed a grin, flashing his yellowed teeth. "I'll be on my way then. In the meantime, you sit tight Miss Rivers."_

_He scooted back from the table and collected his things. Halfway to the door, Olivia called for him. _

"_Mr. Tobin," Olivia said._

"_Yes, Miss Rivers?"_

_Olivia shifted in her chair. The cold cuffs scraped against her skin making her wince. "My daughter…does the public know about her?"_

_Tobin's face scrunched up as he thought. "At the moment, her existence is rumored. I do not doubt that someone will eventually find out."_

"_And if someone did find out…what would happen?" Olivia asked slowly. _

"_A media frenzy, of course. News that Charles Branden has a love child with his alleged killer will be the news of the century. Your daughter's existence would be blood in the water; the reporters would be the sharks. Like I said, they would go into a frenzy."_

_Motherly instinct kicked in. The thought of cameras being shoved into Brynn's terrified face angered her. She would forever be known as the Branden Bastard and would be haunted by it for years…_

"_If it is at all possible, I would like you to see that no one learns her name."_

"_Miss Rivers, that's practically impossible. You must remember that birth certificates can be obtained by others—"_

"_So we change her name," Olivia growled. "I'll think of a new name for her and she can use my last name as opposed to Branden."_

_Tobin nodded. "I'll see to it. I'll be back tomorrow. Have that name ready for me."_

_Tobin slammed the door shut and left Olivia by herself in the cold, metal room. _

**. . .**

Brynn practically danced for joy when the hand on the clock ticked 10:30, indicating that her shift at All-Stars was over.

She ran to the bathroom and changed out of the referee costume and into the clothes she had been wearing earlier. One more shift tomorrow and she was done for the rest of the week. Friday was Halloween and due to her lack of chest, she had the night off. In some ways it was better to be a B cup as opposed to a C or D. Still, her boss and his obsession with big breasted blondes disgusted her.

The walk from All-Stars to Brighton Hall wasn't that long. Fifteen minutes at most. Brynn stayed far from the dark alleys and sketchy looking buildings, knowing that creepers usually hung around those places. Maybe she should ask Sydney for a ride to work as opposed to walking.

But then again, Sydney was a blabbermouth…

"I'll stick to walking," Brynn muttered to herself. Besides, it was good exercise and Lord knows that she needed it. The college lifestyle was doing bad things to her thighs and stomach.

Brynn walked along the main road. Traffic was still heavy despite the late hour and others occupied the brightly lit street. Being surrounded by others gave her sense of safety. If some idiot _did _steal her purse or try to assault her, at least others were around to help.

But that hadn't been the case for Jonathan. Not a single person had stopped to help him out. Why would they be any different towards her?

_Because it's Jonathan_, she tried to reason with herself. _People expect nerds to be picked on like that and _of course _they're going to stand around and laugh. It's just the way things are_.

_But it doesn't have to be that way_, her conscience whispered back. _How about you become the bigger person and stop the bullying_? _You don't have to be such a bitch all the time…_

_Ugh, shut up!_ She wanted to scream. These voices in her head were becoming a pain in the ass…

Brynn turned off the main street and walked down the road that led to the University building. Around the University building, down another street, across the Campus Green, and she would be at Brighton Hall.

From this distance, the tall building was intimidating in the dark. All the lights were off save for a few here and there. Brynn was surprised the University hadn't placed gargoyles on the roof. The monstrous statues would be fitting…

Thinking about monsters and gargoyles reminded Brynn of the possibility of creepers. She quickened her pace and did a quick sweep over the area before her. All clear.

Memories from a long time ago intruded her mind. She remembered being little, five or six years old. That night she had figured out how to unlock the deadbolt on the front door and had wandered the halls of the building. Somehow she ended up outside. People walked on the sidewalk and taxi cabs honked at each other in the street. Brynn watched timidly by the door, tightly holding onto her teddy bear.

Before she had been able to take another step, a firm hand grasped her by the shoulder. Brynn looked up in surprise and was greeted by her mother's livid expression. The young woman dragged her back inside, her accent slipping into her words as she hollered at the young girl.

"You are not to leave the apartment ever again, Brynn María," her mother had growled.

"Why not, Mama?"

Her mother looked down at her sternly. "We live in the Narrows, young lady. You may not understand that now but you will eventually. The streets of the Narrows are ruled by dangerous people—the Predators. The night is their hour. Never forget that."

And she never had.

Forgetting the ancient memories, Brynn hurried across the Campus Green, up the staircase and onto the sidewalk that led to Brighton Hall. The roof could be seen from this distance.

A noise on her right made her stop abruptly. Brynn scanned over the area, her eyes landing on the shrubs a few feet away. All was silent once again.

_You're being paranoid. It's probably just a squirrel_, she thought.

Brynn started walking when the noise started again. Footsteps, she realized. Lightning fast, Brynn spun around. Once again, nothing was out of place. No shaking leaves, no darting figures, nothing.

"Get it together, woman," she whispered.

This time, Brynn started jogging. Her feet pounded the ground. Her senses were on high right now. What if Griffin and Riley were hiding nearby? Hadn't they said they would be back?

Brighton Hall was in full view now. Brynn ran faster and practically slammed into the door. She glanced around one last time before going in. Her eyes narrowed to slits when something by another dorm building caught her attention.

Her heartbeat quickened.

Was that a person?

Before she could tell for sure, they were gone. Brynn's eyes were the size of dinner plates as she stared at the spot. She could have sworn someone had been watching.

She was officially freaked out. This was just like that one time she thought someone had been following her at the party Meredith had invited her to. What if someone actually _was _following her?

Brynn quickly opened the door and rushed past the front desk and up the stairwell. Hopefully Sydney was already in the dorm. Brynn didn't like the thought of sitting in the room alone if there was a psycho outside…

Reaching into her bag, she pulled out the key to her room and shoved it in the door.

"Syd," Brynn whined. She closed the door behind her. "I think someone's following me."

Brynn turned around and looked at her room. Sydney was there alright.

And so was Jonathan Crane.

Brynn abruptly paused, mouth partially opened, eyebrows furrowed. The two were sitting as far apart as possible. Jonathan sat on her desk chair looking absolutely pissed. Sydney sat on her bed with her back pressed to the wall. The two stared at Brynn, their eyes accusing.

What on earth was going on here?

A normal person would have greeted the two or demanded to know what was going on. Instead, the first thing that came out of Brynn's mouth was, "You're sitting in my swivel chair."

Jonathan briefly glanced down. "Yes, I'm aware."

Awkward silence.

"Well," Sydney said loudly. She hopped off her bed and walked past Brynn. "This has been weird. I'm going to Serena's room. You two have fun."

The door slammed shut behind her. Brynn considered screaming after her, _Don't leave me alone with him! Come back!_

Brynn looked back at Jonathan, her face resembling a deer in the headlights. Not only was there a psycho outside but there was also one in her room.

"Heeey," Brynn waved awkwardly. Oh, why had she done that? _Yeah, Brynn, greet him like a pedophile. You do that…_

Jonathan stared at her, his cold blue eyes serious. "I believe you have something of mine."

"I do?" Brynn replied dumbly.

A vein was sticking out of his neck. "I'm _hoping_ you do. Otherwise, I am swimming in open waters…"

"Oh. _That_. Yeah, I have it."

"_Give it_," he hissed.

"Okay, okay! No need to be feisty."

Brynn searched the room for her bag containing the notebook. She found it next to the small wastebasket and began to search through it.

"How do you know where I live?" Brynn asked nervously.

Jonathan's disapproving glare was analyzing the pictures taped to her wall. Brynn blushed when his eyes landed on one of her and Sydney sticking their tongues out and flipping off the camera. He clucked his tongue.

"School directory," he told her.

"Oh," Brynn said. "How long have you been waiting here?"

"Not long. Your illiterate friend was rather shocked when she opened the door and saw me."

So he still remembered that? Brynn snorted. "You mean Sydney? I think anyone would be kind of surprised to have you knocking on their bedroom doors."

It came out meaner than she had intended. Jonathan looked away, anger flashing across his face. "Can I just have my notebook?" he said quietly.

"I didn't look through it," she said suddenly. "Well, not this time. The first time I did. And I lied about writing everyone's name down so you don't have to worry about me telling anyone."

"How very kind of you," Jonathan said sarcastically. He grabbed the notebook from her hands and headed for the door.

"Jonathan?"

"What, Brynn?"

She shifted from foot to foot awkwardly. How did she go about wording this?

"Well?" Jonathan snapped.

"I'm sorry," Brynn managed to get out.

A loud sigh escaped Jonathan's lips. He tucked the book under his arm and narrowed his eyes at her. "You honestly think that apologizing will make up for this? I told you the first time it was an invasion of privacy—"

"No, not that," she interrupted. "About today. What those assholes did to you."

Jonathan's cheeks flared bright red. He averted his eyes from her, pretending to be interested in something on the floor. "I'd be forever grateful if you never brought that incident up again. I think I have been humiliated enough for one day."

Sympathy for the boy made her shut up. Brynn nodded. "You're right. I'm sorry. I won't take your book again. Though I am curious as to why you have it…"

"Don't you know, Brynn? Curiosity killed the cat," Jonathan said.

A smile formed on her face. "But satisfaction brought it back."

Jonathan rolled his eyes. "I'd prefer it if the cat remained dead. There's nothing you need to see in it. They're just…observations."

"Observations?"

"Yes," Jonathan replied. "That's all."

"Okay. I guess I can live that."

"Yes, well, I'd better be on my way," he murmured. His hand paused over the door knob. After several seconds, he brought it back to his side and turned to face her again.

"I suppose I should…thank you. For helping me out today," Jonathan said through gritted teeth. She was given the impression he didn't say thank you very often nor did he like to. "Tell your boyfriend I was appreciative for what he did."

"Boyfriend?" Brynn asked. What boyfriend…? "Oh, you mean Conrad? No, he's my brother."

Confusion washed over Jonathan's face. "Brother? The two of you bear no resemblance whatsoever."

"We get that a lot," she said simply, not wanting to get into a long discussion about how they weren't really related. "As well as my sister and I."

"Interesting. I'm leaving. Goodnight, Brynn," said Jonathan.

He opened the door right when Sydney was reaching for the knob. The two stared at each other. Brynn realized they were sizing one another up, trying to decide who was a bigger threat. Jonathan leaned forward ever so slightly and whispered, "_Boo_."

He pushed past Sydney and was gone. She remained with her back pressed against the door, jaw hanging open.

"Why the _hell _was Jonathan Crane in our room?" Sydney demanded when she was back to her senses.

"I borrowed his homework," Brynn said quickly. "He was stopping by to get it."

Sydney shook her head in disbelief. "What a creep…"

"Yeah. Total creep," Brynn said, but felt guilty for doing so. Jonathan wasn't really a creep. Mega-nerd? Yes. Creep?

Brynn was beginning to have second thoughts.

**.** **. .**

"_Let's try this again. What is your name?" _

_Brynn stared up at the woman in charge of the orphanage. Her eyes were filled with tears. "Brynn Branden."_

_She screeched loudly when the woman smacked her hands with a large ruler. Tears were pouring out of her eyes as she stared at her stinging hands. The woman looked down at her. _

"_Let me ask you again. What is your name?"_

_Brynn's tiny hands balled into fists. She wanted to go home and be with her mommy and daddy. She didn't want to be in this building anymore with all the other loud children. _

_According to the adults in this place, her father was dead. Brynn knew it meant to be dead. She had cried for hours when they told her, refusing to believe that it was true. She still denied it. Her days were spent sitting by the window, watching for him to come walking down the street. The same fantasy played in her mind over and over again. Daddy would look up from the sidewalk and see her. Then he would smile and she would smile back. _

_But every time she thought it was him, every time they would look up, Brynn was left feeling horribly disappointed. _

_Supposedly her mother was alive but wouldn't be coming back. What did that mean? Surely if she was alive, she would have to come back to get Brynn at _some _point. When Mama saw what these people had done to her, how they constantly hurt her tiny hands, she would go berserk. _

"_Well? What is it?" _

_For now, she would just have to give these people what they wanted. If she behaved, maybe Mama or Daddy would come and get her sometime soon?_

"_Briana Rivers," she whispered. Her tear streaked face was full of shame. _

_The woman nodded in approval. "Good. Now you have chores to do, Briana. Better get started."_

_She left, leaving her alone. Brynn looked out the window, searching for her father. _

**. . .**

**A/N: Guys, I had serious feels while writing that last part. No joke. Little Brynn with her puppy dog eyes… :( But yeah, Ch. 11 was up sooner than expected! This is probably the last chapter I'll have up while on break. Once school starts on Monday, updates will probably go back to being about a week apart or so :(.**

**I'll try to keep this A/N short, but I highly doubt that. I enjoy rambling too much…**

**51 REVIEWS?! SAY WHAAAAT! Shout out **_**to TymanTb, areosmithlover, MusicHarryPotterVeeVodkaBatm an, chocolate bear, masterofpuppets, lilyflower, mr. frost, Musicaddict1, shootingstar, coala, AlainHotCoco1, tora, nightwing, The Mourning Dragon**_** and to those who followed/added to their favs! I LOVE YOU ALL. The reviews made me really happy and I'm glad to know you all enjoyed the new ending. **

**Thanks so much for all the ideas you guys supplied me with! I'm thinking of ways to incorporate them into the story. Some of them were really entertaining so you can be assured that I will be messing with Brynn and Jon. ;)**

**THERE WILL BE A JONATHAN P.O.V. IN THE NEXT CHAPTER! AND BELIEVE ME, IT'S GONNA BE GOOOOOOD. (Hint, hint at awkward/crazy/hilarious situation)**

**So someone asked me a question in their review and I'm going to try to answer it without giving away too much information. Brynn will NOT become a Harley Quinn type of character. When Jon becomes Scarecrow, she will not be a sidekick or help him with any of his experiments. Will Brynn go to the dark side or become a hero? I'm going to try to answer this without giving away too much information on the story. But to answer that question I'm going to say not really. Brynn will not be fighting off bad guys and saving civilian lives while wearing a mask. A future event (which will not occur for quite a while and is many chapters away) will take place that's going to make Brynn…oh, I don't know…very **_**bitter **_**and **_**angry **_**and **_**sour **_**with a few characters. Some of it will have to do with Olivia and learning that her mother didn't actually kill her father. Some of it will have to do with her time spent in foster care. But there will be one certain event that triggers very sour emotions. Future Brynn will be holding this huge grudge but will pretend that everything is okay and plasters on a smile. If anyone watches **_**Revenge**_**, the best way to sum it up is that Brynn will become an Amanda Clarke/Emily Thorne character. She knows more than she lets on to and will be all innocent and oblivious around people but is actually planning to tear people apart (not literally). If you're confused or have no idea what I'm talking about, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASEEEE PM ME and I will explain it as best as possible. But no, Brynn will not be running around with a cape and mask. Okay, I'm gonna stop haha. **

**REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW AND YOU SHALL RECEIVE A PONY! YAY FOR PONIES!**


	12. Chapter 12

Rap music with a low bass blared from the speakers and caused the dingy house to shake. Alcoholic beverages were poured into Red Solo cups. Costumed college students danced, flirted and drank to their heart's desire.

A typical Halloween played out before Brynn.

She followed Sydney deeper into the crowd. A cup filled with a dark liquid that made her throat burn was in her hands and dangerously close to spilling over the brim. Despite her request for, "Just a little," the boy at the bar had filled it to the top. The plan must have been to get the entire party tipsy.

Sydney craned her long neck over the crowd, searching for someone. "Where are they? I thought they would be here by now."

"Where's who?" Brynn yelled over the loud music. A Grim Reaper ran past her, causing Brynn to spill some of the drink on her chest. She frowned in distaste.

"You wouldn't know them," she replied. "Oh! There they are!"

Grabbing Brynn by the arm, Sydney pulled her through the crowd and to the couch in the middle of the room. Three guys dressed as football players sat there with amber-colored bottles in their hands.

"Hey, guys!" Sydney exclaimed. She placed her hands on her hips. The tight, red dress she wore hugged her hour glass figure lovingly and showed off her toned thighs. A plastic fire fighter's hat was perched on top of her head.

The boys immediately went gaga upon seeing her.

They shifted around to make room for Sydney to take a seat. One wrapped his arm around her shoulder; another offered to get her something to drink. Brynn was forced to awkwardly sit on the arm of the chair.

She quietly sipped her drink and scanned the room. Not a single person at this party did she know. All of them looked to be upperclassmen.

Brynn mentally slapped herself for being so stupid. She should have known that Sydney would drag her to a party and leave her to idly stand by. It happened _all the time. _Boys would have googly eyes for Sydney and ignore her fat, unattractive friend.

While angrily seething in her thoughts, Brynn felt a hand tap her on the shoulder. She jumped in surprise and spun around to see the culprit. A pirate with a fake parrot propped on his shoulder glanced at her nervously.

"Arrgh," the guy said suddenly.

"Arrgh?" Brynn replied in disbelief.

His cheeks flushed red and he scratched the back of his neck. "I mean, hi."

"Hello," she said coldly.

"So, um, I couldn't help but notice that you look kind of bored," he said nervously. "Well, I was, uh, wondering if you would want to play poker with my buds and me?"

Brynn glanced over to a poker table set up on the far side of the room. Five boys dressed as various _Star Wars _characters were shouting about something. One of the storm troopers had his face in his palms as a gleeful looking Han Solo took all his chips.

"I don't like poker," Brynn lied. She was eyeing Sydney, hoping her "friend" would get her out of this situation. Of course, Sydney was cracking up over some lame joke one of her jock friends had made.

"Oh, okay," he said in defeat. "Sorry to bother you."

Guilt washed over Brynn as she watched him sulk away like a hurt puppy. "Wait!"

The pirate turned around, his face neutral, but his eyes hopeful. Brynn inspected him quickly. He wasn't ugly or anything. Captain Hook had light brown hair, brown eyes, and a decent looking face. Hell, he was actually kind of cute. And he was showing _interest_ in Brynn. Playing poker with him and his friends sounded better than sitting on the couch for the rest of the night like a lonely loser.

"Just a few games," Brynn said, keeping her voice stern.

He nodded vigorously. "Whatever you want. I'm Brendan by the way."

Brynn hopped off the couch and adjusted her black dress. "Brynn."

Brendan gave her a half-smile and led her to the poker table. Five pairs of eyes curiously looked up from their game and stared in shock.

"Greetings earthling," one of them said excitedly. He pushed his glasses up his nose and smiled widely.

Brendan shot his friend a glare as he pulled a chair out for Brynn. She sat down and awkwardly waved. "Hey."

Darth Vader handed her some poker chips and playing cards. Brynn briefly glanced over her shoulder and saw Sydney giving her a questioning look. Shrugging, Brynn turned back to the game.

An hour later (and four and a half beers later), Brynn was in a heated argument with Chewbacca (whose real name was Stan) about why _Star Trek _was better than _Star Wars. _

"Chewbacca is the superior co-pilot!" he exclaimed.

Brynn slammed her beer down on the table and snorted. "Oh, please! I wouldn't trust my life with an over-sized dog. Spock is ten times cooler than Chewbacca."

A loud gasp erupted from the five _Star Wars _fanboys. Brendan leaned back in his chair, a feint smirk playing out on his face. He had taken the eye patch off as well as the pirate's hat. Now his hair was adorably messy and stuck up in all the right places.

Stan's lips puckered in annoyance. "Well that may be the case, but there is no denying that, 'May the force be with you,' is a _much _better phrase than, 'Live long and prosper.'"

"Whatevs," Brynn mumbled. Her glazed-over eyes searched the room. In the corner, a table had been set up with chips and desserts. Spilled drinks covered the platters as well as half-eaten pastries. Brynn frowned.

"I've got the munchies," she told her new friends. Brynn quickly stood up and nearly tumbled over the back of her chair. Brendan quickly reached out and grabbed her so she fell in his lap instead.

Brynn snorted and poked the parrot on his shoulder. "Look at you, Prince Charming. Saving the damsel in distress, are we?"

He blushed, earning snickers from the table. Brynn pulled herself up again and motioned for them to follow. "Let's get food."

"Where?" Nolan, who was one of the two Storm Troopers, asked.

Brynn threw her arms in the air. "Wherever! Come on, let's goooo!"

She pulled Brendan out of his chair and dragged him across the room. Leading him to the couch, Brynn stopped and stared down at Sydney. Her friend looked at her in confusion and gave her a small smile.

"Hey, Brynn," Sydney said slowly.

"Hey, bitch," Brynn slurred. The boys sitting with Sydney shifted around and gave her weird looks.

Ignoring the insult, Sydney pointed at Brendan. "Who's this?"

"Not yours," Brynn growled and held onto the crook of Brendan's elbow.

"I'm Brendan," he said quickly.

Sydney nodded slowly. "Okay then… You guys going somewhere?"

"We're just getting food," Brendan told her.

"Alright. No funny business, pal. Brynn, be back in an hour."

Brynn started to slowly giggle as Brendan pulled her away. "When did you become the mom? I thought it was my job to nag?"

Sydney rolled her eyes in annoyance and turned away from her intoxicated friend. The pirate, the cat, and the _Star Wars_ crew headed out the front door. Outside, the air was cool and felt nice after being stuck in the hot house for so long. Brynn inhaled deeply.

"I'm starving," she whined.

Brendan smiled down at her. "There's a food mart about a block from here."

Brynn nodded and stumbled after them.

**. . . **

Halloween was, by far, Jonathan's least favorite time of year.

No, scratch that. He enjoyed Halloween for the terror and mystery behind it. He despised it due to the fact that society had found a way to turn it into a sex-crazed holiday. Just like everything else.

Jonathan walked down the sidewalk with his hands stuffed into the pockets of his jacket. It was late and he had just gotten off the bus. His great-grandmother had called him earlier that day in a fit of rage, demanding that he come home at once and do household chores. Despite the fact that he was in college, the old hag always found some excuse to drag him home again and torment him. It was her way of reminding him that he would never be entirely free from her grip.

His eyes were tired and he had a difficult time keeping them open. Jonathan had a twelve-page paper for his Chemistry class due Tuesday that he hadn't even started yet. Now he would be forced to stay up for the next three nights to collect information and type up the silly report.

Down the street was the tiny campus drug store. Jonathan quickened his pace and swung open the glass door. Above him, a tiny bell chimed, indicating his arrival. The cashier at the counter briefly glanced at him before returning to her tabloid magazine.

Jonathan strolled down the aisles in search of soap and pencils. He placed the items in his basket and was making his way to the counter when the display of candy bars and tiny cakes caught his eye. He paused briefly for a moment before turning back and taking in the display. His great grandmother had never allowed sweets in the house, claiming they were "sinful". It wasn't until the seventh grade that Jonathan had tasted chocolate for the first time. Now that he was partially free of his guardian, he could indulge on the tasty little treats.

While he made his decision, the bell above the front door chimed. Jonathan ignored it as he tried to choose between a chocolate bar or blueberry muffins. Loud voices filled the air as well as laughter. Jonathan looked up in annoyance.

_A _Star Wars _convention in Gotham_, he thought to himself. _Wonderful…_

There was also a pirate with some drunken girl hanging onto his arm. She stumbled around and blabbered uncontrollably about licorice. A moment later, Jonathan realized with horror just who the voice belonged to.

_Brynn Kiley_.

As though she was able to sense that he was thinking about her, Brynn turned around and locked eyes with him. Her brown eyes lit up and she smirked at him.

Jonathan practically ran to the counter, hoping to get out of there as soon as possible.

He tossed the bills at the cashier and impatiently waited as she rang up his items. Jonathan could practically _feel _her eyes boring holes into his back. Briefly, he turned around and looked for her. Brynn was nowhere in sight.

Without thanking the cashier, Jonathan gathered up his purchases and made a beeline for the door. Once outside, he slowed his pace and began to relax, thankful that he wouldn't have to deal with _her_. The thought of being bothered by her obnoxious voice irritated him.

Jonathan turned a corner and was beginning to open the pack of muffins he bought. He slowed down and tore open the plastic bag. Right when he was about to pop one in his mouth, a loud voice called out his name, causing him to freeze.

"_Jonathaaaaan!_" Brynn sang out.

Slowly, he turned around to face his least favorite person. Brynn stood a few feet behind him, a mischievous gleam in her eyes. She had him cornered.

"Brynn," Jonathan said smoothly. The older girl slowly walked closer before stopping a few feet away.

"Hey buddy," she slurred. Jonathan raised his brows questioningly and took a better look at her face.

Of course. She was wasted.

"Intoxicated, I see," Jonathan muttered disapprovingly.

"No, I'm not," she denied. Brynn smoothed her hair and readjusted the cat ears perched on her head. "I'm totally sober."

"Then sing the alphabet backwards for me."

Brynn paused, her eyes filling with dread. Shifting her weight to her other foot, Brynn began to think. "Z…U…um…R?"

Jonathan mumbled something unintelligent and turned away. Clicking from Brynn's shoes followed close behind.

"Where are you going? Joooooon?" Brynn whined.

"Go home, Brynn," he called over his shoulder. The clicking sound continued and Jonathan sighed. He had to get rid of her.

Deciding it was best to just ignore her, Jonathan hopped onto the low stone wall next to the sidewalk and began to pull out a muffin. He stared straight ahead as he chewed it and ignored Brynn despite the fact that she stood two feet away from him.

"Jonathan. Jonathan. Jon. Jonny. Jon-Jon. _Jaaaay_," Brynn cried. She reached out and started to repeatedly poke him. "Stop ignoring me!"

Unable to ignore her any longer, Jonathan swatted her hand away. He scowled at her. "Brynn, go _away_."

"No!"

"_Now_."

"You wanna _fight_?"

Releasing a deep sigh, Jonathan turned his back to her. For a moment, it was quiet. Then the poking started again.

"I'm sorry. I won't fight you, I promise. Jonathan? _Friend_?" Brynn moaned.

The boy fixed her with a stony glare. "We are _not _friends, Brynn. Nor will we ever be."

She rolled her eyes and finally shut up. Jonathan faced her again, fishing out another muffin. The muffin crumbled, sending an avalanche of crumbs down the front of his shirt. Quickly, he wiped them off.

Brynn reached into her bag. She pulled out a pair of black cat-eye sunglasses and slipped them on. Jonathan looked at her, confused.

"Brynn?"

"Hmm?"

"What's with the sunglasses?"

"It's so _bright!_" she complained.

Jonathan's face was incredulous. "It's _nighttime_."

"You're out of your mind," she muttered. Suddenly, she hopped onto the wall and scooted next to Jonathan. Her legs started to swing and she hummed to herself.

Jonathan studied the intoxicated girl sitting next to him. From the looks of it, she had been at a costume party. She was wearing a long-sleeved black dress, black stockings that stopped midway up her thighs, and black heeled boots. Animal ears were on her head. Either she was dressed as a mourning hooker or some type of animal…

"What?" Brynn asked.

Jonathan looked away. "I'm trying to figure out what you're supposed to be."

Brynn rolled her eyes and pointed at the ears mounted on her head. "I'm a cat."

"Cats don't dress like that."

"Cats don't wear clothes, stupid."

Jonathan's bright blue eyes narrowed dangerously. "We can both agree that you're the last person who should be calling me '_stupid_.'"

"Don't get your panties in a wad, I was kidding," she slurred. Brynn crossed her legs; the black dress rode up, exposing even more of her thigh. Jonathan quickly looked away, willing his hormones to stay intact. Pesky things…

"Shouldn't you be somewhere?" Jonathan said quickly.

"I can't remember…"

"Of course," he muttered.

Brynn gently poked him. A smirk played out on her lips and her eyes gleamed. "You know you like hanging out with me."

"I really _don't_."

"_Sure_," Brynn hiccupped. She leaned forward and stole one of his muffins then quickly shoved it into her mouth. She closed her eyes, swallowed, and sighed. "I'm sleepy."

Before he could say anything, someone shouted Brynn's name. Jonathan looked up in surprise to see the pirate and Sydney Hyland (who was wearing the skankiest costume he had seen all night) walking over.

"Brynn! What the hell are you doing?" Sydney demanded.

Brynn looked up in surprise. She lifted her sunglasses to see who was calling her. "Sydney? Is that you?"

"Yes, it's me," her friend said angrily. "Where have you been? You were supposed to stay with Hook!"

"It's Brendan," he muttered.

"Whatever. You were supposed to _watch_ her!" Sydney exclaimed. She pointed to Jonathan. "And _you_! What are you doing with her?"

Jonathan glared at her. "She found me. I was simply sitting here minding my own business."

"Sure, freak," Sydney growled before turning to Brynn. "Come on, Brynn, let's go."

Brynn shook her head vigorously. "Mm-mm."

"Why not?"

Her breathing quickened and she pointed at the ground. "Too high."

"Too—what? Brynn, it's a four foot drop, you'll be fine!" Sydney exclaimed.

"Uh, uh," Brynn said nervously. She reached her arms out. "Catch me."

"No! Get down!"

"Catch me!" she shrieked.

Brendan took a step forward but was stopped by Sydney. Her face was bright red as she walked in front of Brynn and held her arms out. "You're a dumbass," she hissed.

"Don't move, okay?" Brynn said. Slowly, she leaned forward, arms outstretched and began to fall. Sydney caught her and stumbled back a little. Brynn's head fell on her friend's shoulder. "Carry me."

Sydney wrapped Brynn's arm around her shoulder and put her own arm around her waist. Her face was livid. "You know, you're funny when you're drunk but when you're like _this_, you're fucking _annoying_."

Jonathan frowned. "Perhaps if you weren't such a bad influence on her, this wouldn't happen."

"Crane, _shut up_," Sydney hissed. At this point, Brynn was half conscious with her head lolling around. The boy named Brendan put her other arm around his shoulder and helped carry her away. Before they were gone, Brynn drunkenly waved goodbye to Jonathan.

For some strange reason, he lifted his palm in farewell. Why he did so, he wasn't sure. Brynn Kiley was an idiotic, self-centered, spoiled rich girl who made so many horrible decisions, Jonathan was beginning to lose track. Her stupidity disgusted him as well as the people she associated herself with.

But she was amusing. Fascinating, even. Jonathan found her to be entertaining at times and she was most certainly an interesting character. She wasn't the meanest person he had come across and could be bearable at times.

Maybe, just maybe, if Brynn could be more like him and learn to use her brain, Jonathan might even accept her.

But he knew that would never happen. So Jonathan hopped off the wall and accepted that he was a superior being to Brynn Kiley and her stupidity.

**. . . **

"_Bleeeeeeh_!"

Sunday morning, Brynn was bent over the toilet, emptying the contents of her stomach and battling a horrendous headache. The window in their dorm was opened all the way and the fan in the bathroom had been turned on. Sydney leaned against the doorway with her nose plugged.

"This should be the other way around," Brynn groaned. Another wave of nausea rolled through her stomach, sending more bile up her throat and into the toilet.

"Yeah, well, maybe if you hadn't let that pirate guy shove so many beers down your throat you wouldn't be in this situation right now."

Brynn coughed. "Who?"

Sydney rolled her eyes. The moment she had awakened, Sydney had made it obvious she was mad and Brynn had done something to anger her the night before. Watching Brynn get sick like this was probably entertaining for her. "You seriously don't remember anything that happened last night?"

"For the tenth time, _no_!" Brynn cried.

"Not even what happened with Jonathan Crane?" Sydney pried.

Brynn paused and looked up. "What?"

"I found you with Jonathan Crane last night."

"_What?!_ Why?!"

Sydney shrugged. "Beats me. You guys were sitting together on a wall when I found you."

"Just sitting there?" she asked nervously.

"I don't know! For all I know, you guys could have fuc—"

"Shut up!" Brynn exclaimed. "My stomach can't hold anything, don't make me feel even worse!"

Sydney left the bathroom. The nausea took a turn for the worse, sending her stomach into violent turmoil. After a good twenty minutes, Brynn collapsed on the marble floor and curled into the fetal position.

If she and Jonathan had…done the deed or something remotely similar to that, she would rip his eyes out. Monday morning, he would be receiving a whole lot of crap from her…

**. . .**

**A/N: Yay for updates! And Jonathan POVs! I hope it was believable :/ Leave your thoughts to let me know!**

**I love my reviewers so much and should tell you guys more often! Thanks to **_**The Mourning Dragon, AlainHotCoco1, maliumpkinss, ElektraMackenzie, Musicaddict1, MusicHarryPotterVeeVodkaBatm an, tribute14, areosmithlover, chocolate bear, X-PoisonCherry-X **_**as well as people who added the story to their alerts!**__**Cookies for everyone! If anyone has anything they would like to critique whether it be the style of writing, the characters or anything else, please let me know! **

**If you have ideas or want to talk, PM me! Oh, and does anyone have a tumblr? I'd love to follow you guys and interact more often. I don't really post stuff, I mainly reblog but I follow back if you're looking for followers! Idk I just like tumblr a lot haha. My username (without the spaces) is megjmck . tumblr. Com. **

**Updates will most likely be a week apart from now on. It depends on how busy I am during the week and 3****rd**** quarter at my school is supposed to be hell… Hopefully the updates won't be too delayed and I will try to get them up sooner than that. **

**Last thing: could you guys suggest some of your favorite **_**Batman Begins/Dark Knight**_** fics that have to do with Jonathan? I've had such a strong need to find some really good ones lately but whenever I try searching with keywords I get one-shots or ones I'm not interested in. I'd prefer a fic with 20+ chapters and an OC. I've already read **_**Where Is The Edge?, The Insanity of the Sane, Corruption, The Abyss, and Chaos. **_**Sooo yeah, suggestions would be greatly appreciated or suggest your own fics, I'd love to read them. Thanks!**

**Until next time, farewell my pretties! **


	13. Chapter 13

Bad days seemed to be occurring more often for Brynn.

Not only had she been late to Psychology, failed a quiz, and stepped in the biggest wad of bubble gum known to man; now she was standing face-to-face with Brendan, the pirate-boy she had met at the party.

While in the process of scraping the gum off her shoe with a stick, Brendan must have seen her and walked over. Brynn, totally caught off guard when he ushered the word hello, had managed to fall on her butt due to her lack of balance while cleaning her shoe.

"Oh, sorry! Didn't mean to scare you," Brendan exclaimed, blushing bright red. He offered his hand out to Brynn but was shooed away.

"It's fine," Brynn muttered. Getting back up on her feet, she inspected him. He wore dark jeans and a form fitting t-shirt with a green jacket. Unlike Brynn (who wore her typical ratty sweats and t-shirt), he looked very presentable.

No doubt second thoughts were going through his head right now.

"Look, about the other night…"

"I'm really sorry about that," Brynn interrupted. She looked down at her feet. "You probably think I'm some crazy alcoholic now…"

"No, not at all," Brendan said quickly even though Brynn could tell he was lying through his teeth. "You were…fun."

Brynn snorted. Fun, huh? Her hands reached up to her ponytail and tightened it as she thought of something to say.

"But I'd like to see you again," he said suddenly.

"It's fine, I understand—wait, what?"

A timid smile formed on his face. "I'd like to see you again. You know, go out some time?"

Well, that hadn't been expected. Talk about a major plot twist…

"As in a date?" Brynn stumbled on her words. He nodded.

The two stood in awkward silence as the hamster on the wheel ran furiously inside her brain. The other night had been a one night stand, right? No, no, one night stands involved doing the deed and that most definitely had not happened (or had it? She couldn't remember anything!). Beads of sweat began to form on her forehead. Maybe he was blind? Never in a million years would a guy ask her on a date while looking like _this!_ She hadn't even bothered with makeup today!

Brendan cleared his throat as he waited for a reply. Not once, but twice, Brynn opened her mouth then shut it. Finally, she blurted out, "Maybe."

Pivoting on her heel, Brynn quickly walked away. The entire walk back to her dorm, she was assaulted by mental slaps and name-calling. _You dumbass! _Her conscience shrieked. _He was cute! You haven't been on a date since junior year and you just turned _him _down?! Die, bitch, die!_

The cold wind blew in her face, blurring her vision. Later, Brynn would blame that for the _next _thing to happen on this "glorious" day.

"Humph!" Brynn exclaimed as she bulldozed into someone. The two stumbled back in surprise, dazed from the head-on collision.

Brynn's hand flew up to her forehead which had begun to throb. "Watch where you're going!"

She looked up to see the culprit adjusting the fancy black pea coat they wore. Blond strands of hair fell out of a neat pony-tail and into her face. Brynn suddenly recognized who it was.

Awww, _shit._

"Ohmygod, Ms. Worley!" Brynn squeaked. "I am soooo sorry, I hadn't seen you there and the wind—"

"Brynn," Ms. Worley raised her hand, instantly making the girl shut up. "It's alright. But please refrain from calling me 'Ms. Worley.' It makes me feel old. You have my permission to use my first name."

"Alright," Brynn said slowly. "Adele."

Adele smiled and looked down at the younger girl. Despite having been roughed up by Brynn's clumsiness, she still looked stunning.

Brynn immediately felt one hundred times uglier in her sweats. Of all days, she just _had_ to choose today to wear them.

"I'm really sorry about that."

"Oh, please, don't worry about it," Adele said breezily. "It's good to see you. I was hoping I might run into you. Well, not as literally."

Brynn's face flushed tomato red. "Mind me asking what you're doing here?"

"I was invited to be a guest-speaker for one of the economics classes," she explained.

"Oh," Brynn nodded. "That's fun."

Adele flashed her bright smile. "Not at all. It was quite boring, actually. Blank stares put me to sleep. By any chance are you free this afternoon? I was just heading out to grab a bite. Care to join me?"

"Really? Yeah, sure," Brynn agreed, surprised by the older woman's offer. "I'm not really dressed for lunch, though."

"I had someplace casual in mind," she assured her. "We can take my car. When do you need to be back?"

Brynn followed close behind. "My classes are done for the day, so whenever."

"Perfect," Adele grinned over her shoulder.

**. . .**

Adele had a very different idea of what casual was than Brynn.

After being seated, Brynn's eyes scanned over the appetizers, all of them ranging between thirty to seventy dollars. She didn't even want to know how high the digits soared on the list of entrées. So far the cheapest and most affordable thing she had found on the menu was the side of ketchup for a dollar fifty.

As she searched for something in her price range, Adele set her menu down, folded her hands and smiled. "How have you been?"

"Pretty good," Brynn lied, deciding it was best to leave out the information from the previous weekend, how she had screwed up a possible romance, and was broke. "How about you?"

Adele took a sip of her water. "So-so. Much has been happening at the office. More paperwork than you can even imagine."

"Does it have to do with the companies merging?"

"Somewhat. That, as well as everyday jobs at the office. Things just seemed to be piling up these days."

"Amen to that," Brynn muttered as she flipped through the pages of the menu.

The waiter returned to take their orders. Brynn selected the cheapest salad the menu had to offer while Adele picked something that sounded like a mouthful and French. It was safe to guess that it soared well into the hundreds.

Brynn's eyes wandered over the restaurant, taking in the gilded mirrors and floral wallpaper. Wealthy-looking older couples sipped coffee and nibbled on crème brûleé. The swinging doors that led to the kitchen swung back and forth slowly.

Her eyes trailed back to Adele. The older woman's attention was elsewhere. She rested her chin on her palm, her fingers slightly bent around her face. Sunlight reflected off the diamond ring on her wedding finger.

"I hadn't realized you were married," Brynn pointed out.

Adele snapped back to attention and inspected the wedding ring as though she had forgotten its presence. A small smile molded on her face. Slowly, she twisted the ring around so only the gold band was visible.

"Widowed, actually," Adele said, her smile sad.

"Oh. I'm so sorry, I hadn't realized," Brynn stuttered. Awkwardly, she pulled her blue jacket tighter around her body.

Adele shook her head, her honey blond bangs shaking. "It happened a long time ago. I'm okay now."

Brynn shifted in her seat. "Do you mind if I ask you a question?"

"Of course not. What's on your mind?" Adele leaned forward.

"I noticed this at the party we had a while back…and it might just be me…but is everything okay between my mother and you? The two of you seem sort of…tense."

A pregnant pause followed the question. Brynn mentally kicked herself for letting the words come out of her mouth. What if Adele hadn't noticed?

Finally, Adele sighed and looked up at Brynn. "To be entirely honest, yes, there is a bit of tension between the two of us. We go back."

"I'm sorry to have brought it up. You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to," Brynn said. She was doing a whole lot of apologizing today.

The food arrived and Adele waited until the waiters were gone before speaking again. "No, it's entirely fine. I have nothing to hide from you."

Brynn pushed her salad bowl away as she waited for the older woman to speak. Across the table, Adele was rearranging her silverware as she organized her thoughts.

"Your mother and I met after I graduated from college and went into the business world. We worked together and immediately became best friends. However, we had a fall out a few years later."

"You were friends?" Brynn asked.

Adele nodded. "I was friends with your father, too. I would eventually meet my future husband through him."

Brynn nodded as the information sank in. She wondered what might have caused the fallout.

"As I said, we would later have a fallout. Key factors would later lead up to this event. But before the party, I had not spoken to your mother in years."

"Key factors?" Brynn's brows furrowed.

Adele smirked as she recalled the memories. "The two of us were very competitive with each other and would often be jealous of something the other had. I think those were the main factors."

"Well, my mother can be competitive," Brynn agreed.

"Now we just don't speak that often," Adele said sadly. "I do wish we could rekindle our relationship, though I doubt your mother would ever agree."

Brynn shook her head. "She's too prideful. She's never the one to back down in an argument. Until you agree that it was your fault, she stands her ground. Trust me, I know."

"Is your relationship strained?"

"Not ours. We actually have a very good relationship. My mother and my sister on the other hand," Brynn took a sip of water and raised her brows, "that's another story entirely. If you ever want to see an explosive argument, come to my house during the holidays. The two of them practically throw things at each other."

Brynn wiped a drop of water from her lip. Had all of that just come out of her mouth? Despite the fact that it was wrong to share family secrets, they just kept pouring out. Adele listened to her and seemed intrigued unlike most of the adults she met. Brynn couldn't explain it, but she felt as though they had some sort of bond.

Adele's warm smile flickered onto her face. "Well, I'm glad to have gotten that off my chest." She looked at her watch and frowned. "I have a meeting in a half hour. I'm afraid I'll have to cut our lunch short."

Brynn nodded in understanding. "No worries. I had a great time. Thanks for the invite."

She grabbed her purse and began to rummage through it in search of her wallet.

"Oh, please, Brynn—it's on me," Adele said as she pulled out her credit card.

"Oh no, I've got it—"

"I insist."

Brynn smiled. "Thank you, Adele."

She stood and walked out of the restaurant with her new friend. "Anytime. Perhaps we could do this again?" Adele asked.

Brynn nodded excitedly. "Absolutely, I'd love that."

"Fantastic." Adele slipped on her black sunglasses and smiled at the younger girl. "Until next time."

Brynn raised her hand in farewell as she watched Adele drive off in her car.

**. . . **

"Red! That table ain't gonna clean itself," Earl shouted.

Biting back an insult, Brynn furiously wiped down the table. She grimaced as something similar in appearance to cheese stuck to her finger.

"Ew," she squealed as she flicked it off her finger and onto the floor.

After a few more scrubs, she finished the table and was off to the next one. Her hair was falling out of its ponytail and into her face. Annoyed, she blew it away.

A group of older looking college students had just been seated. Brynn muttered something unintelligent before waiting on the newcomers.

"Hi, welcome to All-Stars," she said lamely. "What can I get for all you team players?"

The guys looked at her with disappointment, one even muttering, "Great, we got an ugly one." Brynn pursed her lips and tapped her foot with impatience. All of them ordered various types of beers.

Brynn scurried to the drink machine and began filling the cups with alcohol, despite the fact that she was underage. All-Stars broke so many rules Brynn was shocked it was still in business. She had a feeling Earl got the more attractive girls to give food inspectors lap dances in order to pass the test…

While she filled the glasses, Jonathan came up from behind and started to refill a cup. The two ignored each other, tension radiating between them. Neither of them had forgotten about the other night (well Brynn had no idea what happened, but she had a feeling it was awkward).

Once the last glass was filled, Brynn tried her best to balance them between both hands (due to the lack of trays). Her eyes darted back and forth between the drinks and where she was walking.

After a successful trip, Brynn set the drinks in front of the guys, took their orders, and hurried back to the kitchen. She spent the next fifteen minutes refilling drinks, wiping down tables, and being yelled at by Earl.

Brynn walked back to the kitchen in a daze. Two more hours of this. Two more hours. There was no way she would last that long.

Her thoughts were interrupted when one of the fry cooks yelled at her. She looked at him with a bored expression as he motioned to a tray of food. Carefully, Brynn balanced it onto her shoulder and back to the main part of the restaurant.

"Here you go," she said unenthusiastically when she arrived at the table. Not a single 'thank-you' was ushered as she passed out the trays of food. _Assholes_, she thought nastily.

Without checking for oncoming traffic, Brynn spun on her heel and walked right into a tray of drinks being carried by one of the taller waiters. Not only did her head bang against the plastic tray, but an avalanche of Hawaiian Punch and grape soda drenched her face and shirt.

The eruption of laughter followed immediately.

Very rude and degrading words flew out of the waiter's mouth a second later. Brynn pushed past him blindly. Grape soda stung her eyes and dripped down her face. Seconds later, she was pushing through the doors of the kitchen.

Using the remaining dry material of her shirt to scrub her eyes and face, Brynn walked past the cooks who gave her questioning looks. By the backdoor was a large sink and cracked mirror. Halfway to it, the backdoor opened and in came Jonathan.

He paused when he saw her appearance. Brynn could practically _hear _the wheels in his brain spinning as he thought of an insult.

"Don't you _dare_," she hissed. Brynn stopped in front of the mirror and practically gasped. It was worse than she had expected. The entire front of her shirt was stained red and purple; droplets of the liquids slowly dripped down her face; and her mascara and eye liner had smudged all around her eyes. She was a hot mess, minus the hot.

Now seemed like the most appropriate time for a mental breakdown.

"I am so _sick _of this," Brynn cried a moment later. She tore the paper towels out of the dispenser and ran warm water over them. "I wasn't made for this life style. Serving fast food to greasy, perverted men is _not _my calling!"

She began to furiously scrub her face with the brown paper towels. It was sticky and required much scrubbing. Jonathan leaned against the wall as he listened to Brynn break down.

"You know, I've never worked a day in my life before this. Unless if you count chores and I hardly ever do those. There's always someone there to pick the mess up for you," she choked out. Her hands reached up to her ponytail and began to undo it. Sticky, red-blonde hair fell around her face, making her look like a lion. Brynn began to scrub around her hairline.

"And everything was going fine until I started failing out of school," she whimpered. "I don't even know how I am because I always managed to get decent grades in high school. But noooo, I'm a stupid retard who can't comprehend Psychology for the life of me and now I'm cut off and I don't know what to do anymore and today's been a mess and I'm covered in soda and I'm cold and I'm an ugly crier—"

"Brynn," Jonathan interrupted. His voice was steady, his blue eyes cautious. "Get a grip. It's just soda."

"But it's not just soda!" Brynn sobbed. "It's everything! I'm going to fail out of college and end up on the streets and work in places like this for the rest of my life!"

"Shhh!" Jonathan shushed her. "Calm yourself. Deep breaths."

She shut up. Her lip was trembling uncontrollably and she felt horribly sticky. Soaking more paper towels, Brynn scrubbed at her hair.

"It's not coming out," she whimpered.

"It will," he said calmly.

"Screw it," Brynn sniffed before sticking her head under the faucet and rinsing the soda out that way. Over the sound of the running water, she heard Jonathan mutter, "Oh, jeez."

Finally, she turned the water off and stared at her reflection. Water dripped down the back of her shirt and she shivered uncontrollably. Her makeup was now smudged all over her face. She really was an ugly crier…

"Are you under control now?" Jonathan inquired.

"Yes," Brynn mumbled.

"Well, that was the most pathetic sob story I've ever heard," Jonathan said, surprising her with his words.

"Wha—"

"Don't interrupt," he said harshly. "It's rude. You cannot go around blaming others for your own mistakes. It's time to grow up and take responsibility. Now is the time to stop depending on mommy and daddy. You want good grades in college? Then go study and stop partying so much. Walking around campus like a drunken idiot is not the solution."

"Is that a reference to the other night?"

"Yes, and I was not thrilled at all by it. I do not enjoy spending my nights babysitting drunken girls two years my senior."

"Sorry about that," she muttered.

"If you were sorry, you wouldn't keep doing it. This weekend, I'll probably find you passed out in the bushes."

Brynn sniffled. She leaned against the basin of the sink as Jonathan's words crashed into her. God, she was being lectured by a twelve year old…

But now, she realized, _she _was the twelve year old and Jonathan was the grown up.

"So now, Brynn, I suggest you grow up and figure out what you're going to do with your life. Crying is going to get you nowhere," Jonathan told her sternly.

The doors to the kitchen opened abruptly and in came Earl, huffing and puffing like a fat dragon. His bright red face shone with sweat and grease. Narrowing his beady, bird-like eyes, he found Brynn and pointed at her.

"You!" he bellowed. "I've got a sticky floor and wasted money. The hell are you doing back here? You should be mopping up your damn mess!"

Brynn gripped the basin tighter as he roared at her.

"Stupid, useless girl!" he howled, spittle flying out of his mouth. "What was I thinking when I hired you? You ain't blonde, you ain't thin. Can't do shit either. You're nothing but a flat-chested whale!"

"I think that's quite enough," Jonathan said suddenly. Behind his glasses, his blue eyes flashed dangerously.

"Shut it, Jackson," Earl growled. He turned back to Brynn. "You useless hoe. Unattractive pig. Dumb bitch."

Like a volcano, Brynn's anger peaked, then erupted.

She pivoted on her heel and screeched. "_Oh_! You want to talk about worthless, piece of shits? Well, let me tell you _pal_, you're no better!"

All conversation abruptly stopped. Curious eyes wandered towards the back of the room where the scene was unfolding. Earl stood dumbstruck as Brynn inched closer, her black eyes narrowed dangerously.

"You're a low-life pervert who smells like dogshit and stale beer. I'm worth more money than you'll ever make in your lifetime so don't even think about calling me _'useless_' or '_dumb_.' This 'restaurant' of yours is the most unsanitary, insect-infested, shit-producing, run-down shack I've ever seen!"

Earl opened his mouth but was interrupted by Brynn. She pointed an accusing finger at him. "Uh-uh, you shut the fuck up, I'm not done."

"Brynn," Jonathan said urgently from behind. "You're making a mistake…"

"Shhhh!" Brynn wheeled around to face him. The look on her face instantly made him hush. She turned back to Earl. "You pedophile, you're nothing but a blood-sucking, fat leech. And you know what? I quit. I quit! I _fucking _quit," she practically sang. Throwing her apron on the ground, Brynn spun around and strutted to the back door. Before she was out, she turned and gave Earl not one, but _two, _middle fingers.

She hurried down the dark alley, feeling victorious for only a moment. By the time she was out of the alley, the 'oh, shits' were coming out like word vomit.

In less than ten minutes, she had been drenched in soda, had an emotional breakdown in front of Jonathan Crane, told her boss off, and made a huge, extravagant show of quitting. Not only that, but she was broke, jobless, and sticky. A great way to end a shitty day.

She stood on the sidewalk, dumbstruck when she heard footsteps behind her. Slowly, she turned to find Jonathan.

"What are you doing out here?" Brynn sighed.

Jonathan's glasses gleamed in the streetlight. A frown was etched onto his young face. "Earl fired me," he said simply.

"What? Why?"

"For interrupting him during his tirade. According to him, anyone who's a friend of yours is not welcome in his establishment."

"But we're not—" Brynn paused and changed her sentence. "You didn't do anything. I'll go back in there and get your job back, I swear. God, I'm an idiot…"

Jonathan leaned against a brick building and closed his eyes. "No need to. I would have eventually quit. Like you said, fast food is not my calling. And it's okay—I just found myself a second job."

A second job? Brynn stepped back in surprise. "Already? What is it?"

Jonathan opened his eyes. They were cloudy and seemed to be staring far off. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but my new job is tutoring you."

"Huh?" Brynn asked dumbly.

The boy sighed dramatically. "Clean the soda out of your ears. I'm tutoring you."

"I don't remember agreeing to this."

Jonathan rolled his eyes. "You need good grades in order to have daddy filling your bank account again. I need money—which I'm sure you have plenty of. In this way, we both get what we need. I thought this would be a deal you couldn't resist?"

A strong gust of wind assaulted Brynn. She shivered violently, wishing she had her coat. "Last time you tried tutoring me, we got nowhere."

"I wasn't even trying to teach you last time," Jonathan confessed. "This time will be different. I can guarantee you'll be passing the course with flying colors by the end of the semester."

"Which is in a month and a half," Brynn reminded him.

Jonathan smirked and pushed himself off the wall. He leisurely walked past Brynn with his hands in his pockets. "Then I guess we have a lot of work to do."

Brynn watched Jonathan walk down the street and turn onto another. Had Jonathan Crane just offered to… help her? It seemed so out of character for him. Another gust of wind sent chills down Brynn's back, reminding her that it was November and she was soaked.

She rushed down the street and back to the campus. Maybe things were beginning to look up?

**. . .**

**A/N: Look everyone, an update! I'm sorry this is up later than expected. I rewrote it three times because I didn't like where it was going. Hopefully you all like this chapter… *fingers crossed***

**Thank you so much to Musicaddict1, maliumpkinss, MusicHarryPotterVeeVodkaBatm an, AlainHotCoco1, and My Little Lolita for reviewing as well as those who added the story to their alerts! Your reviews are much appreciated! Feel free to leave suggestions, your critiques, and advice. Honestly, your opinions mean the world to me and are very helpful.**

**Ch. 14 probably won't be up for another week. I lied about last week being hard—it was a piece of cake. **_**This week**_**, however, is going to bite me in the ass. A Chemistry quiz, a Math and Spanish test, Theology quiz, 5 sketches for Art class, as well as the fact that our English teacher was just fired and now I'm going to have to get used to a new teacher's teaching methods in the middle of the damn year. Help me… (crawls away and dies in a corner). Also, can I just say the freshmen at my school are wild animals? If you'd like to know why, PM me. I'm in need of ranting about those crazy trolls…**

**So I have a question for the audience! Do you think I should have Brynn and Brendan date? It wouldn't be some life-changing relationship, just them going on a few dates. Idk. I considered having it happen during this chapter and then I was like no but then I was like yes and now I'm all, 'I dunno.' Suggestions? Maybe I'll make a poll… But if you'd like to see it, leave ideas for how it should happen.**

**Review, review, review! Reviewers will be awarded with puppies/kittens and chocolate cake!**

**Kay, cool, bye. **


	14. Chapter 14

She was late, as expected.

The fact didn't anger Jonathan; he had been expecting her tardiness. It did annoy him, however. As he waited for the older girl to show up, he impatiently tapped his fingers on the smooth table top.

The door to the library swung open. Brynn entered, her cheeks flushed from the November air, and looked around wildly for Jonathan. Her eyes swept over the building before landing on her new tutor. She hurried over and shrugged her coat off.

"You're late," Jonathan _tsked. _He held back a snort as Brynn collapsed into the chair, her breathing ragged. She must have run here.

"Sorry," she said breathlessly. Pale hands rested on her binder, folded. Jonathan noted the numerous rings and chipped nail polish on her finger nails.

"Let's get started."

The two reached into their bags and pulled out their Psychology text books. As Jonathan flipped open his book, he felt Brynn's eyes on him.

"So I talked to my Dad about this whole tutoring thing," Brynn said suddenly. "It took a bit of coaxing, but he agreed to pay you for helping me."

"Shouldn't you be the one paying?" Jonathan asked.

Brynn rolled her eyes. "Yeah, All-Stars definitely gave me money to spare. I hardly have enough to last 'til the end of the week."

"Maybe you should start looking for another _job_," Jonathan sighed.

"Not gonna happen. Hopefully you'll be enough to help me pass the course. As I was saying, Dad agreed to pay you a hundred dollars per week as well as a bonus if you help me out on the weekends. Then you're looking at one fifty."

His eyeballs nearly popped out of his head. Jonathan searched Brynn's eyes to see if she was joking. "_A hundred dollars_?"

"That's what I just said. Is that not enough?"

He leaned back in his chair, astounded. "Not enough? Brynn, you're paying me _one hundred dollars_."

The look she gave him was confused. "It's not a lot or anything…"

"Not a lot," Jonathan laughed quietly. For the first time he realized just how rich this girl was. There was no doubt that before she had been cut off, the girl probably blew through hundreds of dollars in a week.

She still seemed confused as to why he was so excited. Brynn shrugged and looked at him with bored eyes. "Can we start now?"

The younger boy nodded and slid his book across the table. Pointing to a highlighted section on the page, he said, "Read."

While she read to herself, Jonathan examined her. He noticed the way she slouched in her seat and rested her cheek against the palm of her hand. Whatever she was reading seemed to bore her and made her eyes droop. Jonathan frowned. How could a person not find the topic absolutely fascinating? Over the years, Jonathan's interest in Psychology had gone from a simple liking to an absolute obsession. He poured over various books on the topic, read reviews and theories by some of the best in the field, and devoted his _life _to it. It was the one good thing in the absolute nightmare he lived in. Psychology was what had pulled him through every single wretched day of his life.

His thoughts were interrupted when he felt eyes boring into his forehead. He looked up at Brynn. She was frowning.

"I don't get it," she complained.

_Of course you don't_, he wanted to snap. Instead, he adjusted his glasses and briefly glanced over the passage.

"No?"

"Not at all."

"Alright," Jonathan said. "Tell me what you don't understand."

"All of it!" Brynn exclaimed. She rested her face in her hands, frustrated. "None of it's clicking."

Jonathan frowned. For a few tense seconds, they sat in silence. The wheels in Jonathan's head spun furiously, trying to create a teaching method for his new "pupil."

"Alright," he said slowly. Hopefully this would work. "Tell me about your study methods."

Brynn eyed him. "How does that have anything to do with Psychology?"

"Just answer the question."

She rolled her eyes at his persistence. Jonathan bit back a comment about her immaturity and patiently waited for a reply.

"I usually just reread the notes a few times… something that clearly doesn't work for Psychology…" she added miserably.

"What else? Do you have tricks that help you remember things?" Jonathan questioned.

She thought for a moment. "I have this one method I use where I just think of things that are similar."

"Alright. Give me an example."

"Why?"

"Just do it," he said exasperatedly. "You'll get nowhere if you do not allow me to help."

"Okay, okay," Brynn muttered. "Well…for Spanish, when we have to memorize terms, sometimes the word is close enough to the English word or it reminds me of something."

"Like?" Jonathan pressed.

She tapped her chin as she thought of an example. "_Dormir_ means to sleep and it kind of sounds like 'dream.' You dream when you sleep."

Jonathan nodded. "Okay. What's the first thing that comes to mind when you think of sensory neutrons?"

"I don't even know what those are," she replied flatly.

"We learned about them at the beginning of the year. They carry information from the sense receptors to the central nervous system."

"I don't know."

"_Think_."

Brynn groaned in frustration. Leaning back in her chair, she began to think of something that would help her on future quizzes. Jonathan patiently waited with his hands folded. As she raked her brain for something similar, Brynn pushed her hair behind her ears and Jonathan noticed the five studs pierced into them; two diamond studs on each lobe as well as a thin, silver hoop pierced into her cartilage. He had always thought it was tacky when girls pierced a dozen different things into their skin. The studs on her lobes were a bit much; however, the silver hoop worked for her. It was simple—not too flashy or extravagant.

He liked it.

"Sensory neutrons send things," she said finally.

"It could work," Jonathan agreed.

"Now I just have to think of similar comparisons for a thousand other terms," Brynn muttered. "Joy."

Jonathan rolled his eyes at her dull mood. He reached for the textbook in front of her and began flipping through the pages for something else to cover.

"How come you're so into this stuff?" Brynn asked suddenly.

"How come you're so into partying?" was his reply. He had no desire to give out any personal information.

"Because it's _fun_. Maybe if you got out more you'd learn to enjoy it? But seriously. What's so special about it?" she questioned him. She leaned forward ever so slightly, her eyes curious. They searched his face looking for the truth and trying to decipher his secrets.

Jonathan cleared his throat and looked away. He didn't enjoy the way she was looking at him. Heat spread throughout his body making him uncomfortable. Usually people didn't make him feel like this. He was the one who made them feel awkward. For once it was the other way around.

"Well?" she pushed, not liking his reserved manner. _She's the type of girl who has to know everything, isn't she?_ Jonathan thought bitterly. _Just like the rest of them._

"I find it interesting," he answered.

"You have an obsession," she declared.

"And you just know everything, don't you?" Jonathan snapped. _Stop trying to decipher me…_

A smirk formed on her face. Her eyebrows were raised, her eyes daring. She reminded him so much of the girls back at Gotham High. "It's normal to like things. You just take it to a whole new level."

"Are you accusing me for merely liking something?"

Brynn paused, thinking. She stared down at Jonathan's binder while he waited for her next words. When she looked back up, her eyes weren't as harsh and had lost their mischievous glint. "No. I just think it's kind of unusual to be so obsessed with Psychology. You typically meet people who are like that with Math or English and all the little branches around it. Not just one particular branch."

He was annoyed. His eyes, now fierce and threatening, met hers and held them. Her brown irises did not waver from the intensity of his stare.

"But," she said suddenly. "I think it's cool that you like it so much. You're a walking Psychology book."

"I'm not sure if I should take that as a compliment or an insult."

"It's a compliment, dummy," she teased. "You need to interact with people more often. You get so offended whenever people talk to you. Loosen up."

She looked down at her Psychology book and resumed her slouching position. Jonathan pressed his lips together, anger bubbling inside him. He wanted to tell her off, remind her what he thought of her. How she was just like everyone else, always coming to conclusions about people they barely knew. But at the same time, he felt something else. He couldn't quite place his finger on it. All he knew was that he was glad that someone finally accepted his love for the beautiful subject.

So instead of uttering a snarky comment or thanking her for the "compliment," he shut his mouth and read a passage in his book.

**. . .**

Brynn left her tutoring session with Jonathan about an hour later and started walking to the cafeteria. Her stomach grumbled audibly as she scurried through the campus. For November, the weather wasn't as brutal as usual. It was cool, but bearable to be outside with a light jacket.

She reached the mess hall and pushed through the doors, greeted by warm air and the smell of food. A quick glance over the cafeteria and she found Serena Lamar sitting by herself at one of the tables, a textbook and notebook before her.

"Hey," Brynn said as she walked over to her friend's table.

Serena looked up in surprise and smiled. "Hi! You wouldn't happen to be a math whiz, would you?" She indicated to the difficult math problems scribbled into her notebook.

"Ooh. Not my cup of tea," Brynn told her friend apologetically. "My math knowledge is limited to adding and subtracting."

The other girl sighed. "Ninety-nine math problems due tomorrow as well as a ten page Chemistry paper."

Serena went back to her math problems, every now and then furrowing her brows or cursing at a problem's difficulty. Brynn reached into her bag for her notebook and English textbook. Flipping to the assigned page, she started to read.

It wasn't long before she lost interest in what the book had to say.

Not wanting to interrupt Serena, Brynn sat quietly in her seat. On the other side of the windows, the sky was turning to a dark shade of violet and blue, losing its Trix Yogurt color. Students on the other side of the glass walked quickly. They were smart; they knew to hurry back to their dorms when the sun was setting.

It was Gotham, after all.

Brynn sighed and flipped to a clean piece of notebook paper. Might as well draw if she was going to waste time in here. The lead of her pencil lightly touched the page and began to swirl and shade to its delight.

She missed drawing. Brynn wasn't a horrible drawer but she wouldn't say she was amazing; decent, perhaps. Definitely no Van Gogh or Picasso. However, she liked how she was able to focus on the drawing but lose an idea of what was happening around her. It was a depressant in its own way. All stress was washed away.

She was brought back to foster care. In just a matter of days, she had been able to fill entire sketchbooks. Drawing distracted her from her own personal hell. It was her escape.

_Don't go back there_, her conscience warned. _Block it out_.

Obediently, she erased the memories of the worn down orphanage and disapproving adult faces.

In her daze, she noticed that she had drawn a pair of eyes. They were wide ovals, with black irises. Similar to her own. The pencil carefully drew each eyelash and outlined the oval. Brynn frowned when she realized they looked more like spiky caterpillars as opposed to lashes. She erased them and tried again. This time she made them thinner.

Brynn stared down at the eyes occupying the notebook page. _I should try drawing my face_, she thought. _I've always wanted to try a self-portrait. _Next she drew a large oval around the eyes. The pencil did the rest for her. In her focused state, she watched as her hand drew a chin and a nose splattered with freckles. Bow shaped lips that were slightly parted came next. Brynn's hand slowed as she tried to perfect the lines of the mouth. To her delight, the pencil created a realistic mouth.

Finished with the face, Brynn moved onto the hair. She paused for a moment as she tried to think of a way to draw her hair. It was straight with a few kinks at the top. Carefully, her pencil created a few curved lines that eventually straightened out. She frowned in distaste. Her eraser ravaged the page and she tried again. It looked even worse.

Deciding to take a new approach, her pencil created wild ringlets. She'd always wanted curly hair. All of her friends had been blessed with waves and ringlets. Lines twirled to form the curls that framed her face. She ended the curls just past her shoulder and started on the neck.

The lines of the neck eventually curved and sloped to create shoulders and arms. While she detailed the outfit, she heard Serena shift around in her seat.

"Wow," Serena said suddenly. Brynn looked up to see the wide-eyed girl. "That's amazing."

"It's really not." Brynn blushed bright red as she carefully detailed the buttons.

"Who is that?" Serena questioned.

Her mouth opened to explain she'd attempted a self-portrait. Before the words could form, she took a good look at the picture.

Her heart nearly stopped.

She hadn't drawn herself. It was Olivia Rivers wearing a jumpsuit. The prison jumpsuit.

An icy cold settled into her body, freezing her blood. The pounding of her heart was deafening and her palms dampened. Her mouth was parched, her face hot. She'd drawn the _wench_. The bitch, the slut, the concubine, the mother who had _abandoned her._

Memories flashed through her mind at lightning speed. She was seven again. The walls around her were foreign yet familiar at the same time. Strange men had just entered the apartment. Why were they shouting? _Who are you?_ She wanted to scream.

Mama was on the couch. Something was in her hand, something silver, something shiny. Then _pow_. Something wet had splattered all over her. It was red, sticky. _What is this? What's happening? _Blood, she realized. Her mother's _blood _was all over her.

It was everywhere. The wall, the floor, the ceiling, her _body._ _Red walls, red walls, red walls, _her brain quietly sang. A movement to her right brought her out of the temporary shock.

Then the scream ripped through her body. A blood curdling scream. A scream that no seven year old should _ever _produce. Hands were grabbing her and she was suddenly off the ground. The blood in her eyes was blinding her. The stench of copper and flesh intruded her nose.

The screams were still coming; not only hers, but from these mysterious men. They were shouting orders. She was shouting in Spanish, calling for anyone, anyone who would _help _her.

Next thing she knew, she was being hastily lowered into the smooth bathtub. The man above her, the man who wore a badge, was grabbing the shower hose and turning on the water. She was sprayed with a powerful burst of water. The blood was washed away and sent down the drain.

However, he was unable to wash away the memories. They stuck to her like blood-thirsty leeches and spent countless nights with her.

"It's okay," she heard someone over her screams and sobs. The man. "_It's okay._"

But it would never be okay.

She snapped back to the present. Her hands were shaking. Serena was looking at her questioningly, waiting for an answer.

"I'm not sure," she said shakily. "I just kind of drew her. I-I have to go."

Rushing out of her seat and collecting her things, she ran for the door.

**. . .**

Around two a.m., she lied in her bed. There was an uncomfortable amount of pressure pressing behind her eyeballs, willing her to sleep. The memories kept her awake however.

In the bed next to her, Sydney softly snored. Brynn envied her. The other girl didn't have to deal with this kind of stuff. Most likely she had never spent a night staring at the ceiling, playing out different scenarios of what her life could have been like. What it would have been like had _she _not gutted Dad like a fish and lodged a bullet in her own head.

_Would we have been a normal family?_ Brynn wondered. She imagined her father sitting at the kitchen table, reading the newspaper. By now, he would have been graying. His reading glasses would be perched on the tip of his nose. When she walked into the kitchen after coming home from school, he'd look up at her. He'd smile. She still remembered the way he smiled; he didn't show his teeth and he'd always have a playful glint in his eyes.

What if it had just been the two of them? What if he had left _her _and taken Brynn away with him? Surely he had known the woman was a psychopath? Hadn't he?

She turned over in her bed and stared at the wall. The scenarios wouldn't stop. She was back at her high school graduation. In place of the Kileys, she saw her father. He'd look at her with proud, green eyes. And she would look back down with her black eyes. Together, they would share something. It wouldn't have to be spoken aloud but they would both know what the other was thinking.

They had escaped her. They were _okay. _

But she knew it was foolish to think of such things. She had the Kileys now and they had given her everything—love, a family, a stable environment. No matter how many times she'd thank them for pulling her out of the hole, it would never be enough. The Kileys were her saviors and she worshipped the ground they walked upon.

Still, emptiness filled her stomach and caused her chest to ache. She had been so young when her father was ripped away from her. The desire to know him would never go away.

Tears for the man leaked from her eyes and dripped down her face. For the hundredth time that night, she turned in her bed and tried to forget everything.

**. . .**

_The trial was set for next month. _

_Olivia paced her jail cell, feeling wide awake and on edge despite the fact that it was two in the morning. So many things whirred through her mind. She couldn't sit still. _

_If convicted guilty, she'd be given a life sentence was what she had been told. If found innocent, she could have Brynn back and go on with life. She would spend the rest of her days with a broken heart and fighting off Predators in the Narrows but she would have her baby. That was all that mattered. _

_It had been months since she'd last seen the wide-eyed girl. According to Mr. Tobin, she was living in the Gotham City Orphanage. Her name had been changed from Brynn Branden to Briana Rivers. The press had yet to learn of her existence. _

_She felt as though someone had balled her heart into their fist and given it a good squeeze. The tears poured from her eyes uncontrollably. Charlie was dead and her baby had been taken away from her. She was locked in a cage like a wild animal for something she hadn't done. Her life had shattered to pieces. _

_A low sob, followed by whimpering, escaped her mouth. She was exhausted. It was impossible to sleep in the jailhouse. The other women in here were ferocious. She had handled ravenous men and crazy bitches in her life but these women…she had never come across people like them. _

_She reached her hand to her head, expecting to find wild curls. Instead, she found a large lump and soft short hair. When she had gone into surgery that night, the doctors had shaved her head. Another thing to add to the list of things taken away from her. She was breaking down, slowly, but surely. _

_She just wanted her baby back. _

"_Oh God!" she sobbed. It was a low, pitiful sound. _

_Olivia collapsed against the wall, releasing another loud sob. It was followed by more desperate cries. She furiously wiped them away with the heel of her hand but it was no use; the tears poured out like a waterfall. Like a broken child, she rocked back and forth and cried long into the night. _

**. . . **

**A/N: Chapter 14! I'm not sure how I feel about it. I like it but at the same time I don't. I'll admit it was kind of hard to write the scene about younger Brynn. I mean, that part wrote itself—it was just hard to think about putting her through it and in my mind it was so graphic and disturbing. I'll just have to deal with it. Let me know what you think, okay?**

**Thank you, thank you, **_**thank you **_**Musicaddict1, AlainHotCoco1, chocolate bear, tribute14, The Mourning Dragon, and MusicHarryPotterVeeVodkaBatm an for reviewing as well as those who follow/ favorite the story. I'm actually shocked that it has gotten so much feedback. I seriously thought the story would end up getting five reviews and I'd lose interest. But you guys give me so much motivation and your opinions and advice are greatly appreciated. Please leave your thoughts in a review! I try to incorporate any advice you provide into the story. Tell me your ideas!**

**I think I have the plot for the story figured out. There are still some gaps but I'm going to work on it. I also have a vague idea of what will happen in the future with Brynn and Jon but I'm kind of torn. There's going to be a large time gap later in the story, between the college years and **_**Batman Begins. **_**I can't decide if I want them to go their separate ways for a while or be a couple. Whichever one I choose will change the plot in some way. I just can't decide. HELP ME.**

**If you have questions about the story, feel free to PM me. I don't bite, I promise :D OH! Can anyone suggest some good music? I feel deprived. I mainly listen to Lana Del Rey, Ellie Goulding, Florence and the Machine, and Imagine Dragons so something similar to that por favor?**

**Okay, I need to go do chores and crap. Review and you will be given Cillian Murphy for the day!**

**(Expect another update next week)**


	15. Chapter 15

Brynn fought her drooping eyelids as she zoned out during Psychology. The large sweatshirt she wore enveloped her in a welcoming hug, urging her to fall asleep. Professor Mapps' monotone voice was far off in the real world. Slowly, Brynn slipped further and further into her groggy state.

"And that should do it for today," Mapps said, his words a blessing to the class. The drowsy students slammed their textbooks shut and rubbed the sleep out of their eyes. A loud yawn ripped through Brynn. Her eyes watered automatically, making her vision even blurrier.

"Just a reminder that we are having a class debate at the end of the week," Professor Mapps told his students. "We will be looking at the notorious criminals you all did your reports on. Each person will be closely examined and I will leave it to you to decide whether or not they are guilty. Have a nice day."

A simultaneous _screech _of chairs on the floor filled the room. The students began filing out, heading to other classes, the library or wherever. Brynn opted for the stairs as opposed to waiting in line for the elevator. She walked behind a group of chattering girls who took the _longest _time to walk down four flights of stairs. Brynn was preparing herself to push them all and slide down the railing when they entered the lobby.

Other students from Psychology and numerous other classes filled the lobby. Brynn snaked her way through the crowd and headed for the doors. She noticed Jonathan Crane leaning against the door by the entrance, most likely trying to be invisible. He fiddled with the sleeves of his long, shabby, black trench coat.

Brynn pushed open the door and stepped outside in the cold. From the corner of her eye, she saw Jonathan follow. He kept his distance as they walked away from the crowd of rowdy students.

"Need something?" Brynn called over her shoulder. Her teeth started to chatter uncontrollably as the bitter cold air settled onto her skin.

Jonathan caught up to her and matched his pace with hers. "I'm free tonight for tutoring."

"You couldn't have told me that in class?"

"Unlike you, I actually pay attention during class. And you were late," Jonathan replied.

"So what time?" Brynn ignored his snarky comment and know-it-all tone. Today wasn't the day to deal with Jonathan Crane and his sassy ass.

"Six thirty would be best," he replied. The two remained in sync for a moment. Brynn wasn't even sure where they were going. Was he following her or was she following him?

Jonathan's blue gaze locked on something to his left and he scoffed. "You have a stalker."

"What? Where?"

Brynn's eyes followed Jonathan's. She saw Brendan standing near one of the smaller campus buildings. The boy she had met at the party quickly looked away when she saw him.

"He's not a stalker," Brynn defended him, her cheeks instantly reddening.

Jonathan rolled his eyes dramatically. Another strong gust of wind rushed into them, causing Jonathan's coat to flap wildly. He grimaced. "Whatever you say. Six thirty in the library. _Do not _be late."

He pivoted on his heel and walked against the wind, his strides quick and meaningful. The way he walked reminded her of a cocky twelve year old trying to show off at recess. The thought cracked a smile out of Brynn.

The smile vanished when she remembered Brendan was standing off to the side. She snuck a quick, discreet glance at him. Brendan stood by the trashcan with his hands stuffed into his pockets. He faked interest with what was inside of it.

Her legs were moving with a mind of their own. Brendan pretended not to notice her approaching. Instead, he kept his eyes glued on the shiny, silver bin.

"Looking for something?" Brynn said.

Brendan's head snapped up as though he had been genuinely surprised. His pale skin flushed pink and he backed away from the bin. "Uh, no. Not exactly."

Brynn peaked over the rim. "I hadn't realized trash could be so interesting."

_Oh my God, what the hell is wrong with you?_ Her conscience muttered. _Making small talk over trash? Really? You deserve a kick to the face…_

Brendan forced out a laugh and looked away quickly. He was probably thinking about what a freak she was. The thought was definitely going through Brynn's mind at the moment. As she opened her mouth to excuse herself and fake a reason to leave, Brendan interrupted her.

"I should probably get going," he said quietly. "I have a…um…test."

Her stomach sank to her feet. _Way to scare him off…_ "Oh, okay. Sorry to bother you."

"You weren't bothering me!" he quickly assured her. "I was hoping you'd—"

He paused, his lips parted, his eyes wide. Quickly, he shut his mouth. The pinkish blush that had settled on his face turned magenta. Brynn quirked her brow.

"You were hoping what?"

"Nothing, it's uh, nothing—"

"No, tell me," Brynn laughed, hoping to lighten the mood. "You were going to say something."

Brendan sighed and looked away shamefully. "I was hoping you'd come over here."

"Oh." Brynn blushed and tried to fight off a small smile. "Well I'm glad I did."

Brendan peeked at her, his light brown hair barely touching his lashes. Hope glinted in his eyes. "I know you said no last time—and I'll understand if you say no again—but…would you want to—"

"Sure," Brynn chirped. Immediately, her face grew hot. "I mean…what were you asking…?"

_Make that two kicks to the face…_

An irrepressible smile formed on Brendan's face. "…go out sometime?"

"I mean, if you _want _to, sure," Brynn squeaked, still unable to believe how awkward she was with boys. Wasn't that phase supposed to end after middle school?

"I'd love to," Brendan said warmly. "I'm busy tonight but I'm pretty available for the rest of the week."

"I'm free whenever," Brynn replied. Butterflies fluttered around her in her stomach and made her legs feel weak.

Brendan pulled a pen out of his jeans pocket and took Brynn's hand. The point of the pen pressed into Brynn's palm and glided over her skin as he scribbled down the digits. She bit her lip to control the adolescent giggles trying to break through.

Brendan flashed her one last smile before walking off. She could hardly control herself as he leisurely walked away. It took all her strength to keep from dancing around and screaming.

**. . .**

At six twenty-seven, Brynn jogged down the sidewalk in an attempt to keep warm and not be late for her tutoring session with Jonathan. She had piled on shirts and jackets to keep warm. The ever-dropping temperature became more and more obvious as they neared winter.

Her pace quickened as she approached the library. Her brow furrowed when she saw Jonathan outside. He had his back to her and was reading something. Brynn slowed down and approached him.

"The library's closed," Jonathan announced. Sure enough, a white piece of paper was taped to the doors. _Closed until further notice due to construction_, it read.

"Bummer," Brynn tried to sound disappointed. On the inside, she leaped for joy. For once she could have a night to herself!

Jonathan shrugged. "No worries. We can go someplace else."

_No! _Brynn wanted to shout. "Where…?"

"I'm sure there's a café around here somewhere," Jonathan said, more to himself than to Brynn. He looked up at the darkening sky. It was nearly pitch black. "We'd better hurry. Any suggestions?"

Brynn raked her brain for excuses. _I just remembered I have to water my cactus! The weatherman predicted tornadoes, lightning storms, and monsoons. It'd be best if we did this another time._ There was no way she was going out in public with him. Mainly because people would get the wrong idea. Jonathan Crane and Brynn Kiley in a restaurant together? Well, they _must _be on a date! If that seed was planted in the community's brains, she would never hear the end of it. It was one thing to be in the library together; that made it pretty obvious that they were doing something school related. But in a restaurant? She knew how the gossip mill worked. Rumors would be passed around and whispered in people's ears like a game of telephone.

Jonathan stared at her expectantly. Brynn cleared her throat and stumbled over her words. "Maybe we could, uh, do this another time? When the library's open?"

"We could," Jonathan agreed. "But I'm booked for the rest of the week with projects and such. You could have told me this earlier as opposed to me wasting my time and coming out here tonight."

Brynn stared at him like a deer in the headlights. This kid really got to the point, didn't he? She'd never met anyone so straightforward. "Never mind. I know one place that's usually quiet and would be good for studying."

"Lead the way," Jonathan replied.

She headed in the opposite direction of which she came with Jonathan on her heels. They walked in silence for the first few minutes. Brynn's legs were stiff as she walked, making her movements awkward. She remembered walking in such a fashion back in high school when she and an upperclassman would be the only ones in the hall. They always made her feel uncomfortable and inferior: pretty much what Jonathan was doing right now.

"How was your day?" Brynn asked, hoping to break this unbearable silence.

"Why?" his voice came from behind.

"Just trying to be polite…"she mumbled. "Mine was fine, by the way."

"Congratulations."

Brynn threw him a seething look. His face remained blank but a glimmer of amusement twinkled in his light blue eyes. She _humphed_. "Are you always this sarcastic?"

"I was being sincere."

"Of course you were."

She could have sworn she heard him snicker. Good to know her frustration was entertaining to him. Brynn's eyes swept over the landscape. The blackness had blanketed the campus making it nearly impossible to see unless guided by the streetlights overhead. Beyond that was nothing but darkness. An eerie feeling iced over Brynn, sending shivers up her back. She hadn't forgotten her last two experiences of walking through Gotham at night when she felt like someone was watching her. Could that person (if there was a person) be watching now? Or had her imagination gotten the best of her?

At least someone was walking with her. Jonathan's presence helped control her nerves. She slowed a bit so she was next to him instead of in front. She'd rather walk side by side than have someone jump on her from behind a bush.

_How on earth is Jonathan going to protect you? Anyone could easily snap him in two like a toothpick!_ Her voice of reason piped up.

Huh. Good point.

The fear retreated to the depths of her stomach when she saw the tiny café in the distance. "Here we are," Brynn said aloud. She stopped in front of the door and waited for Jonathan to open it. He gave her a suspicious look.

"Are you going inside?" he inquired.

"Yeah?"

"Then open the door," he said slowly.

Brynn frowned. "You're supposed to open it."

A loud sigh broke through Jonathan's lips. "Are we on a date?"

"What? No!"

"Then open the door yourself," he snapped.

Brynn quickly grabbed the handle and swung it open. She muttered, "You're so rude…"

The younger boy ignored her comment and followed her inside. The café was nearly empty with the exception of a handful of students and workers. None of them were familiar to Brynn nor did they look up when they entered. _Whew. _

They seated themselves in a booth at the back. Jonathan shrugged out of his shabby trench coat to reveal a maroon button-up. He neatly folded the discarded clothing and placed it in the empty spot next to him. Brynn wondered if he was the type of guy who made a fuss over his clothing.

"How come you dress like that?" she asked suddenly.

Jonathan's eyebrows quirked up. "Like what?"

"You know," Brynn motioned at his attire. "You look like you're going to Sunday school."

"I dress appropriately and presentably," he said stiffly. Blue irises dragged up and down Brynn. "Unlike you."

"What's wrong with this? I'm comfortable," Brynn defended her sweats and t-shirt. "This is one hundred times better than pleated skirts and button-ups."

"You attended a private school, I'm assuming?" Jonathan said uninterestedly.

Brynn nodded. "St. Mary's. They had the worst uniforms ever and they—"

"Do you always feel the need to provide me with information I could care less about?"

The atmosphere grew tense between them. _Oh, so you want to play it that way? Well two can play this game._

Brynn sized up her opponent. Insults whirred through her brain. From the other side of the table, Jonathan sat very still, his eyes intense. He could feel the storm coming, Brynn realized. The amused glint gave him away. For someone who behaved like a recluse, his eyes gave everything about him away.

"Do you always feel the need to act like a five year old?" Brynn replied in a sugar coated voice. She batted her lashes to piss him off even more.

His left eyelid twitched at her tone. "We can both agree that I am much more mature than you," Jonathan declared.

"Coming from the kid who should be a sophomore in high school."

"Junior," Jonathan corrected. "I worked hard to get here and deserved my scholarship. I'm surprised you were actually accepted into college."

"Oooh, burn!" Brynn exclaimed. Nothing was more entertaining than an annoyed Jonathan. If this was how he was going to behave, she'd come back at him with fully loaded guns. He was going to _despise _her by the end of the night.

The irritation poured off of him in waves. Jonathan's nostrils and eyes were twitching. Brynn leaned forward excitedly, her signature mischievous expression playing out on her features. She was disappointed when Jonathan composed himself and opened his book. "Read the blue textbox if you would please."

He shoved the book at Brynn and waited with his hands clasped together. Disappointment washed over as she muttered the words.

"Good," Jonathan said when she had finished. "Can you explain the meaning of the passage to me?"

His voice was slow and steady like a kindergarten teacher speaking to their student. A smirk was being suppressed from exploding on his face.

_I hope you're ready for round two, Jonathan_, Brynn thought wickedly.

She leaned back and frowned. "Hold on. My brain's loading."

A good minute passed as Brynn stared blankly at Jonathan's forehead. She opened her mouth a few times then psyched him and shut it again. His fingers tapped impatiently against the table.

"Well?" Jonathan demanded, his tone laced with annoyance.

Brynn remained silent for another moment. Slowly, she dragged her eyes from his forehead to his own eyes and said in a robotic voice, "Beep. Beep. Beep. Searching for a signal."

Jonathan's lips pursed together and the twitching started again. How do you annoy Jonathan Crane, one might ask? Well, you act like an idiot. There's nothing Jonathan Crane hates more than a girl who acts like an idiot.

"Signal lost. Brain shutting down."

"You're a _hoot_," Jonathan hissed.

Brynn grinned like a Cheshire cat. "Well _thank you_!"

He had had enough. Jonathan slammed the textbook shut and leaned forward so their faces were just a few inches apart. He tapped his mouth with his long fingers. On the other side of the table, Brynn practically glowed with excitement. She loved this little game they were having. Seeing Jonathan get peeved was too much fun.

"Are you enjoying yourself?" he asked in a low tone. Brynn nodded excitedly. "You do this often, don't you? Is this your way of getting attention?"

Brynn scoffed. "Attention? I'm having _fun_."

"So it seems," Jonathan murmured. "But I know an attention hog when I see one."

"Attention hog? I hadn't realized this was second grade," Brynn lifted her nose in the air and took on the attitude of someone high and mighty.

"It's easy to spot one in the crowd. You remember my notebook which you _stole_?"

"I didn't _steal _it. I gave it back. And yeah, why?"

A new glint of emotion had filled Jonathan's eyes. It was no longer amused nor was it angry. Brynn wasn't sure what it was but it made his eyes absolutely vibrant like someone had filled him with life and given him a new purpose.

"I enjoyed doing character analyses on girls like you—attention hogs. I find your type interesting to study and observe. Back in grade school I was always curious as to what factored the desire to be noticed. Of course popularity had to do with it. But even the most popular girls in school would behave in the most bizarre ways in order to attract attention to themselves," he explained.

Brynn twisted a piece of reddish-blonde hair. "So what are you suggesting?"

"That you are _horribly _insecure," he said in his matter-of-fact tone.

"Am not."

"You are very much so."

"Prove it."

The corners of his lips tugged into a smirk. "Fine. We'll start out basic—you, Brynn Kiley, are insecure."

"Congrats, doc. You've diagnosed me," Brynn said flatly.

He ignored her comment. "You speak in an obnoxiously loud voice when surrounded by others and feel the need to show off as much as possible. Back at Halloween is a perfect example."

"I don't see how."

"Instead of using common sense—which I doubt you have any—you felt the urge to make a giant fiasco and give your friends a good laugh. You did this without thinking of the consequences. You were wandering around the outskirts of the campus, intoxicated, and all by yourself. Not once did you stop to think about the possibility of being mugged, raped, murdered or kidnapped. Even though I was not present at whatever event you were at, I have no doubt that you threw back a few drinks to lessen your social awkwardness and create a "fun" persona."

"Me? Social awkwardness? Have you taken the time to examine yourself lately?" Brynn fired back.

"The second reason: you feel undermined by those around you," Jonathan declared. "Your illiterate friend is who you feel most inferior around."

"No, I—"

"Shh," Jonathan scolded. "Do not interrupt. Whenever you are around her, you're silenced against your will and seemingly unwelcomed. She drags you around like a rag-doll yet doesn't have the time of day for you. There's also the fact that you are jealous of her ability to capture the attention of the other sex and infatuate them. However, I think you have found someone to pay attention to you recently."

Self-consciously, Brynn hid her hand under the table. Brendan's number was still scribbled on her palm.

"Third: your family has high expectations for you, expectations that you are unable to reach. Your parents want you to excel in school even though academics are not your strong suit. If I'm correct, your siblings had no problem with schooling and that's why the bar is set so high for you. You want to prove to your parents that you are valuable even though you've done a poor job at convincing them so far. All of these reasons account for your immature and flashy behavior tonight. You are insecure and like to make yourself feel superior by attempting to put me down. Am I on the right track?" Jonathan leaned back and cocked his head to the side.

Brynn stared at him with a blank expression. She felt as though he had been watching her for her entire life and just summed it up for her. The fact that they had just met and he was capable of reading her like a book frightened her. He was right but at the same time he was wrong. So many important details and factors had been left out. Yes, she strived for her parents' and friends' approval. For popularity or jealousy of her siblings? Not really.

She was mainly trying to prove that she wasn't going to turn into a psycho-sociopath-serial-killer like her mother.

But she wouldn't admit that to Jonathan.

Brynn closed her eyes and rubbed them. "Do you stalk me or something?" she muttered.

"You wish. I am just very observant," he said. The look on his face was almost gleeful. He was proud of himself for tearing her apart and analyzing every little piece of her being.

"Too observant if you ask me…"

Jonathan shrugged, that ever-present smirk glowing on his face.

"Well, shit," Brynn slow-clapped. "Way to pull back the layers."

Jonathan flinched. "Don't do that."

"Do what?" Brynn asked. She clapped again. "This?"

Jonathan rolled his eyes. "Not _that_. I'm talking about that word you used."

"Shit?"

"Stop it," Jonathan snapped.

Her foul mood instantly evaporated. "Shit, shit, shit, shit."

"You sound even more unintelligent when you do that," Jonathan hissed. "If you are going to use words to express your anger or whatnot, please use something intelligent. Or just don't express your anger at all."

"What are you going to do, make me put a quarter in the swear jar?" Brynn laughed.

"No—"

"_Shiiiiit!_" she sang.

Jonathan looked like he would leap across the table and strangle her at a moment's notice. "You have such a sailor's mouth for a girl."

"Are you a swear-virgin, Jonathan?" Brynn laughed loudly.

"A _what_?"

"Swear-virgin, swear-virgin!"

Jonathan sank lower in his seat, his face red, embarrassed by her presence. Brynn continued laughing at his discomfort. All aspects of the previous conversation had been forgotten. Brynn savored the moment of making Jonathan Crane uncomfortable.

"Hey, guess what?" Brynn gasped out between laughs.

"I don't want to know," Jonathan sighed exasperatedly.

"_Fu—_"

With surprising speed, Jonathan practically leaped across the table and covered Brynn's mouth with his hand. Brynn's eyes widened at the sudden gesture. Jonathan's did as well. He must have surprised himself with his own actions. He quickly retreated back to his side of the table and looked away.

"Your hands smell like soap and lilacs," Brynn snickered.

"Be quiet," Jonathan mumbled as Brynn's laughter started up again.

The snickers shook her body and tears streamed down her face. Jonathan stared at her like she was a mental-case. Right when she opened her mouth to throw out more swears, her eyes travelled to one of the tables on the other side of the room…

…And instantly locked eyes with Dominic Langston.

He had seen it all. His expression was confused and freaked out. Dominic gave Brynn a questioning stare. His index finger was pointed in Jonathan's direction, his eyebrows raised. _What the hell are you doing? _His expression read.

"_Shit_," Brynn gasped and instantly scooted farther into the booth.

"Brynn, _stop!_"

"Shh!" Brynn hissed. She grabbed her textbook and flung it open to a random page and pretended to be engulfed with the words. She heard the vinyl seat shift under Jonathan's weight as he turned around to look.

"Oh," Jonathan said. He adjusted his glasses and cleared his throat. Brynn wondered if his face was as red as hers. "We should probably get started on the section."

"Mmm-hmm," Brynn agreed, her eyes averted from Dominic. For the rest of the night, they worked in silence with the occasional question.

**. . . **

"_Lights out, Rivers!" the guard banged on her door. He flipped the switch and Olivia was engulfed in darkness. She stared wide-eyed at the ceiling. Night was her least favorite time of the day now. It was the most frightening. _

_Olivia lied stock-still on her stiff mattress. No sound went by unheard. The water from the sink loudly dripped into the basin. The stiff mattress creaked and groaned under her weight. The pipes in the walls made sinister sounds. _

_Everything about her cell was unsettling. _

_Olivia squeezed her eyes shut and tried to transport herself to a better time. She tried her hardest to block out the sounds and images of the prison. Her mind was filled with images of her hometown in Mexico during the summer. She thought of the wild flowers that bloomed on the edge of the village and how the grass turned a shade of yellowish-green. The farmers had always complained about what the lack of rain did to the grass but she liked the crunchy sounds the grass made when she walked on it. The hydrated green grass never sounded like that. _

_Thoughts of Brynn and her chubby face entered Olivia's mind. She was taken back to July. The temperature was at a record high that day. The air conditioning in the apartment was on full blast. Brynn sat on Olivia's lap as her mother braided her thick hair. Little Brynn complained about how she pulled too hard. It was worth the pulling and tugging in the end though. Brynn loved the hairstyle so much she refused to allow her mother to take it out and wash her hair. _

_Charlie invaded her mind next. Thoughts about him were most painful. _

_She was brought back to August of 1974. One oh seven a.m. was what the clock had read. Olivia rode in the car of a fellow hooker, Dee. The windows were rolled down and Olivia had her feet propped up on the dash. She admired the new red high-tops she had purchased and how they complimented her caramel-colored legs. Dee dropped her off on the corner of Wilmington and wished her good luck. _

_She had very strict instructions. She was to use the pay-phone on the street to let her customer know she was here. He would send down for her and bring her up to his room. Once they were done, she'd be leaving with $2000, the most money she'd ever make from a "session."_

_Olivia used the phone and called the number she had been given. After declaring her arrival to the other voice on the end of the line, Olivia waited outside. She inspected her reflection in the little compact mirror she carried and smoothed the wrinkles out of her short dress. _Was she doing a movie star tonight?_ she wondered. Why else would they be so precautious and go to great lengths to have her?_

_Moments later a tall man wearing black pants and a polo motioned for her to come over. Olivia followed him around the back and entered the backdoors of the hotel. They weaved their way through the kitchen and discreetly boarded the elevator. The two stood quietly as the floors ticked off. _

"_So," Olivia broke the silence, her accent thick, "Is this guy actor?"_

"_No," came the short reply._

"_His name?" she inquired._

"_Is confidential."_

_The doors slid open and Olivia exited with the man. A sign to her left caught her eye. _Top floor, penthouse suite, _it read. Olivia fought the urge to whistle. _

_Her companion knocked on the snow-white doors three times and stepped back. A moment later, a man dressed similarly, let them in. Olivia's jaw practically dropped when she saw the inside of the suite. _

_Her eyes ogled over all the expensive furniture when a man came out of one of the nearby rooms. This man was dressed differently, wearing a business suit and tie. He had short, strawberry blonde hair and light eyes. His face was blank but his eyes were nervous. _

"_Is this her?" he asked the man who had escorted her up. The man gave him a curt nod. _

_The man in the suit looked her over. Not with the eyes of a lustful man, but eyes filled with concern and nervousness. She could tell this was his first time with a prostitute. "What is your name?"_

_Olivia placed her hands on her hips and gave him a mischievous look. "What you want it to be?" she purred. _

_He shook his head. His hands went up to his shirt collar and adjusted it. "Could you leave us now?"_

_The two men nodded and left to go out into the hallway. Olivia took that as an indicator. Slowly, she began to pull off the tight dress. _

"_I only take cash. No exceptions," she declared as the dress fell around her ankles. "And no role play, por favor. Only if you willing to spend more."_

_Her hands went behind her back to unlatch the hooks of her bra when he stopped her. "Look, uh, I'd feel better if I knew your name."_

"_Give me yours," she teased. The bra was on the floor and she was inching her way towards him. Her hands undid his tie and her soft lips found the flesh of his neck._

"_I can't," he said quickly. He gasped as her lips trailed up to his jaw. "But maybe we should—uh!—talk for a second?"_

_Olivia pulled back and smirked. "Talk?"_

"_Yes," he said breathlessly. "Talk."_

_Olivia dropped onto the couch and lied on her side. She used her hand to prop her head and she patted the spot next to her. "Let's talk, mister."_

"_Could you possibly," he pointed to the bra laying on the floor, "put that back on?"_

"_Why?" she giggled. _

_He looked away. "I'm distracted."_

"_You insist," she agreed. She hooked it back on and hopped into his lap. _

_Olivia's lips went back to his neck. He sat still for a moment. What was his deal? She doubted the guy was a virgin or anything. He was too attractive. Perhaps a religious figure? No, why would a pastor or someone like that be in the penthouse?_

"_I thought we were going to talk?" he said breathlessly. _

_Olivia sighed and looked him in the eye. "What you want to talk about?"_

_His lips were parted as he thought. An overwhelming desire to kiss those lips sparked through every fiber of her being. "Where are you from? You don't sound like you're from around here."_

"_Mexico," she answered obediently. _

"_Ah," he nodded. "And you won't tell me your name?"_

_She shook her. "No."_

_He frowned. "Can you at least tell me your age?"_

"_Diecinueve."_

"_I'm sorry, I don't speak Spanish."_

_Olivia tilted her head to the side as she tried to remember the English word for it. "Hmmm…nineteen."_

_His jaw dropped. The color had drained from his face. "N-nineteen?"_

"_Yes…"_

_He gently pushed her off his lap. "I'm sorry, this was a bad idea."_

_Olivia looked up at him. "What?"_

"_I-I can't," he stammered. "No, not if you're nineteen."_

"_I'm of age," she fought back._

"_It's too young." He was on the other side of the couch with his back to her. His hands raked through his hair. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have."_

_Olivia snorted. The bastard! She threw her dress back on and adjusted her undergarments. Red-hot embarrassment flowed through her veins. Never had she been rejected before. _

"_Please, let me pay you at least," he insisted. _

"_Don't want your money," she hissed. She threw open the door of the penthouse and strutted past the man's goons or whatever they were. Footsteps followed close behind. _

"_I insist."_

_Olivia cursed him in Spanish and spit at his feet. She angrily waited for the elevator doors to slide open and jumped in. Her finger jammed the down button and she threw him one last glare before the doors slid shut. _

**. . . **

**A/N: I'M BACK! No, I did not abandon the story! I'll explain why it's late later in the A/N. Please tell me what you think of the chapter! I actually like this one for once haha. So yeah, tell me if you like it!**

**LONGEST CHAPTER YET! WOOOOOH! **

**ALMOST AT 100 REVIEWS! KEEP IT UP GUYS! Thank you soooo much to AlainHotCoco1, X-PoisonCherry-X, chocolate bear, killerxcatch, NotSoWhimsicalWonderland, liliflower, The Mourning Dragon, DoctorandAmyFan97, MusicHarryPotterVeeVodkaBatm an, dEnIsE tHe StRaNgE, and deranged-eccentricity for reviewing! Thank you everyone who added the story to their alerts! Super-special-fan-of-the-week shout out goes to dEnIsE tHe StRaNgE for reviewing EVERY SINGLE chapter! You rock! Keep the reviews coming, they motivate me to post faster and just make me feel great. If you have any critiques, advice, ideas, or anything PLEASE let me know! You guys play a huge part in this story!**

**So why was this chapter late, ATLAsnaps-fan? You are all probably wondering. Well my pretties, I rewrote this chapter 3 different times! It just wasn't doing it for me. So instead of posting a half-assed chapter on Sunday, I sat down and planned out everything that's going to happen in the story. I had a pretty good idea of what was going to happen but now I pretty much have it all down. Yay for organization! I even made a chapter outline. They're these super detailed chapter overviews that take for freaking ever to write but are totally worth it! I have the next 5 chapters (as well as details) planned out. Now instead of sitting at my laptop thinking, "What am I going to write today?" I have it all before me! (That's basically what I was doing for the chapters—I know, I know, I'm bad.) And then there's this thing I call the "Author Outline" which basically covers everything that's going to happen in the story. Kind of like my "Chapter Outline" but it doesn't say which chapter these events will happen in. It's a few pages long. I think I've got it down guys!**

**Thanks to dEnIsE tHe StRaNgE (you're just awesome), I have an idea of what Brynn would look like in real life. Current nineteen year old Brynn will look kind of like Laura Prepon (Donna from **_**That '70s Show) **_**but with a different eye color, of course. Older, future Brynn will look like Darby Stanchfield (again, with a different eye color). If anyone watches **_**Scandal (**_**that's what I know her from) she plays Abby. If you want to know what other characters would look like in real life (Olivia, Charlie, Sydney, etc.) just PM me and I'll give you a list! (No seriously, do it, I really want to show everyone what they'd look like. I'm a freak). **

**Okay, that should do it. Review and I'll write a poem about you and your awesomeness (warning you in advance it will probably suck)! **


	16. Chapter 16

One thing Jonathan could always count on to make him feel better was a good book—and today he was in desperate need of one.

The cafeteria was nearly deserted. Jonathan took long strides, eying the table farthest from everyone. Due to the construction in the library (and that the person in the dorm next to his was getting frisky with some girl named Samantha), the cafeteria was his next best bet. It was nearly empty at this hour. Dinner had long past and many people were settling into their dorms for the night. A little peaceful reading was all he needed.

The plastic, blue chair scraped against the tile floor as he pulled it from under the table. Jonathan sat down, flipped open his latest Psychology textbook, and zoned out. Today he was reading the works of Sigmund Freud, Jonathan's idol in the Psychology field. He devoured every word the man said, taking it to heart. Back at home, works like Freud's, as well as various others, were prohibited from the Crane household. Jonathan's devoutly religious great-grandmother had banned such works, claiming they were "evil" and "Satanic."

"I will not tolerate such ideas in my household," her iron-like voice grated out. Jonathan stood behind her as she burned numerous textbooks of his in the fireplace. Their bindings crackled and hissed as they were engulfed by the fire. Young Jonathan watched helplessly. This "household" of his was ruled by a dictator. The "leader" chose everything for him: what he learned, what he said, what he _read. _Freedom was very limited in this house.

Jonathan chased the thoughts out of his mind. That was then—this is now. Her iron grip on him had loosened. Of course it was still there. Only now it was distant. She couldn't control what he read or learned now that he was a good couple miles from home. The only way she could stop him was if she broke down the door.

An action that would not be unlikely for her.

Now Jonathan noticed that his hands were clenched into fists. He banished the thoughts for good and returned to his studies. He was left in peace for nearly a half hour before the next voice interrupted his thoughts. This time, it was outside of his head.

"Hey, Four-Eyes!"

The hairs on the back of his neck spiked up and his spine tensed. _Oh, no. Not now. _He took a shaky breath and tried his best to ignore the voice.

"Four-Eyes! I'm talking to you!" the voice came from above his head. This time it was followed by a slap to the back of his head.

Jonathan winced but remained silent. Goons like Griffin and Riley would quickly become bored if he ignored them. They would retreat to their filthy, little holes in no time.

"What have we got here?" Riley sneered. He snatched the book from Jonathan and held it out of reach. Riley carelessly flipped through the pages of the tome before throwing it to Griffin.

Jonathan bit his lip in an attempt to hold back his anger. There was nothing he could do to stop them. All attempts would be useless.

"What is this shit, Crane?" Griffin leafed through the book, his face disgusted. _Words that big must make his head hurt_, Jonathan thought bitterly.

"I asked you a question," the older boy taunted. Jonathan remained mute. _This will be over soon_, a quiet voice in the back of his head reassured him.

He wished he could believe it…

Griffin eyed Jonathan for a long while. A smirk spread across his face, making his features look more sinister. "Fine. Be that way. It must not be important then."

For a brief second, Jonathan thought his tactic of remaining quiet had done the trick. They had become bored and now they would leave him. Maybe things were starting to work in his favor?

Then there was a loud ripping sound.

Jonathan watched in horror as Griffin slowly tore the book down the middle. He watched helplessly as the binding was torn apart and the book was in two. His heart twisted when Griffin began to rip the pages out. A small fire ignited in Jonathan and had him rising on his feet. Before he could do anything else, Riley grabbed him by his shoulders and slammed him back down, forcing him to watch.

When it was all done, Griffin threw the surviving pieces of the book at Jonathan. "Fag," he sneered.

On cue, Riley grabbed the back of the chair he was sitting in and pulled it backwards. Jonathan's stomach lurched forward and his limbs flailed wildly. The back of his head made contact with the tile floor and sent a shooting pain through the rest of his body. He trembled from the harsh impact and his eyes blurred behind his glasses. Above him Riley and Griffin howled with laughter like wild hyenas.

All Jonathan could do was lie motionlessly and wish it would soon be over.

**. . . **

Brynn sat in front of her vanity, carefully applying mascara to her eyelashes. She hummed quietly to herself as she swiped the wand over them. Brendan was picking her up soon for their first date. Weirdly, she felt surprisingly calm and didn't have first-date jitters. Sydney, for some reason, was getting the first-date jitters for her.

"If he tries to put the moves on you—whether you want him to or not—_call _me," Sydney instructed her. Brynn watched Sydney pace behind her in the mirror. The blond girl's eye brows were furrowed and she looked anxious.

"Uh huh," Brynn replied carelessly. She reached over and turned the knob on the radio, hoping it would drown out the voice of Sydney. The last thing she wanted was for Sydney to make her nervous.

Brynn walked over to her closet and pulled out a few outfits. She neatly laid them out on the bed, her choices ranging from a lavender sweater to an expensive black tank top. She threw the tank top back in the closet after deciding it would make her arms look meaty.

"Do you have a whistle?" Sydney asked suddenly.

"Why would I need a whistle?" Brynn replied after throwing a pair of white jeans back in the closet.

"In case he tries to rape you, stupid!" she exclaimed.

Brynn threw her arms in the air. "He's not a pedophile, Syd!"

Sydney crossed her arms. "You don't know that. Most creepers pull off the nice puppy-dog act and then BAM! Next thing you know, your pants are missing and you're locked in a trunk."

"Oh my God…"

"Hey, I'm just looking out for you," Sydney shrugged. "I'll let you borrow my whistle."

She went off in search of her whistle, leaving Brynn in peace for a moment. The Bon Jovi song playing in the background was keeping the panic from rising in her throat. So much for calm. Leave it to Sydney and her _rape whistle…_

Frustration was seeping from her pores as she eliminated each outfit option. The lavender sweater suddenly looked like something a soccer mom would wear and a skirt seemed too dressy. Brynn groaned as she threw both pieces back in her closet and started throwing things out once more. Looked like tomorrow would be spent purchasing outfits that weren't sweatpants or t-shirts.

Brynn was on her knees digging through the piles of clothes on the floor. She turned around and looked at the clock by her bed. _8:21_. Shit. Brendan was picking her up at 8:30.

"I found it!" Sydney exclaimed excitedly. She tossed the red whistle at Brynn's head.

"I don't want the freaking whistle, Syd!" Brynn snapped, her voice annoyingly high. The panic was washing over her like a tidal wave. Why on earth had she agreed to this date?

"Someone's got the jitters," Sydney sang. She received an icy glare from Brynn.

"I have nothing to wear," Brynn groaned. She buried her face in a pile of sweatpants. Why couldn't it be socially acceptable to wear sweats on a first date?

Sydney smiled. "You're so cute when you're an emotional wreck." She came up from behind and dragged Brynn to her bed. Sydney stood above her and looked down at her miserable face. A red fingernail tapped against Sydney's heart shaped mouth.

"Hold on." Sydney walked back into Brynn's closet and rummaged through it. She draped a few outfits over her arm.

Brynn fell back on her bed. "I have nothing to wear."

"Nonsense. You just don't know how to mix and match. That's why I'm here!"

"Well aren't you a lifesaver," Brynn mumbled.

Her friend emerged again from the closet and handed Brynn her selections. "Wipe that frown off your face and try these on."

"But—"

"_Do it._"

Brynn muttered miserably and pulled on the clothing. She slid on the black leggings and nearly fell over. Sydney chastised her when Brynn began complaining about the loose, white tank top she had chosen. Finally, she pulled her arms through the sleeves of the sky-blue jean jacket.

Her mouth opened again to whine but immediately snapped shut when she saw her reflection in the mirror. Hmm. It wasn't that bad. Sydney should dress her more often even if it meant becoming a life-size Barbie doll. Brynn turned from side to side examining the outfit.

"It looks…good," Brynn admitted.

"I told you you'd like it. You get so cranky when you're nervous," Sydney teased. She picked a few bracelets from Brynn's vanity and slid them on her wrist. "Perf!"

Her heart nearly exploded out of her chest when three loud knocks rattled the door. Sweat slicked her palms and her eyes darted to Sydney screaming _help me!_

"One minute!" Sydney called. She leisurely walked to her own vanity and pulled a tube of lipstick from her makeup bag. "Pucker up."

Brynn obeyed and Sydney carefully swiped it over her mouth. She grabbed a tissue and blotted her mouth. "You need earrings."

"Syd, he's waiting!" Brynn whispered.

She shrugged. "Let him wait. You don't want to seem desperate."

Sydney grabbed Brynn's diamond studs and handed them to her. Brynn slid them through the holes in her ears while Sydney threw the door open. Brendan stood awkwardly on the other side. The mini heart-attack started up again.

"Hey, Brad," Sydney said coolly.

"Brendan," he corrected.

"Whoops." Brynn walked up behind Sydney and tried to snake past her.

"She needs to be back before one," Sydney took on the role of mother. She ignored the death-stare from Brynn. "No funny business or else I cut off your penis."

All color left Brendan's face. Brynn muttered something under her breath and hid her face behind her hands. Sydney remained oblivious to the tension in the air, a smile plastered to her face. She reached into her pocket and pulled the red rape whistle out and shoved it into Brynn's bag despite her protests.

"You crazy kids have fun!" Sydney exclaimed before slamming the door in their faces. The loud laughter followed afterwards. Brynn was going to strangle her when she got back.

**. . .**

Jonathan walked against the wind as he made his way back to the dorms. The destroyed book was pressed lovingly against his chest, the way a father holds their child. His legs felt like they were filled with lead and there was a pounding in the back of his head. An empty pit had formed in the bottom of his stomach.

Jonathan walked up the stairs of his dorm hall and pushed through the door. He walked past the monitor in the lobby and up the two flights of stairs. His room was located at the end of the hall, far from the other students. His shaking hand searched through his pocket for the key and forced it into the lock.

He flicked on the switch and the light flickered on. His dorm room was rather empty. There were twin beds in the room but only one of them was used. A desk had been placed next to the window and multiple piles of books were scattered about the room. A mini-fridge that Jonathan had purchased with his own money was plugged into the wall by the door. It wasn't really "home" but it was a thousand times better than his previous room at his grandmother's home. This room actually had a door with a _lock. _That was a good enough luxury in his opinion.

Jonathan grabbed a Snapple from the fridge and took a long sip. He inspected the damaged book and sighed. It was fixable but he would need to be careful. The book was old and one wrong move could ruin the entire thing.

He put the tattered book on his desk and rummaged through the desk drawers for the needed materials. He found some glue, scissors, tape, and a needle and thread. This wasn't the first time some jerk had ruined one of his books. After the third incident, Jonathan had decided he needed to be prepared for it to happen. Now he kept the string and needle as well as the other materials so he could put his beloved books back together.

Jonathan unbuttoned the cuffs of his button up shirt and rolled the sleeves to his elbows. He got to work, starting with the pages. It was a timely process; some pages he had no clue where they went and others were so badly torn he could hardly read their print. He eventually returned the scraps of paper to their rightful places and started on the binding. His graceful hands gingerly sewed the binding back together. The thread and needle looped in and out again and again until his eyes hurt from watching. At one point, a childish part of Jonathan imagined he was a doctor sewing up a patient after a terrible accident. Jonathan removed his glasses and rubbed his tired eyes. Finally, he glued the binding back to the pages. All that was left to do was let the glue dry.

Jonathan inspected his work. Good as new. Despite the red thread holding the brown binding together it was hardly noticeable that it had been damaged. Jonathan carefully placed the tome on the pile of books.

"I need rip-proof books," he muttered to himself. Jonathan leaned back in his desk chair and closed his eyes. The long process of book-binding made him drowsy. Black oblivion washed over him and he was quietly snoring in his chair. He dreamt of Riley and Griffin falling down black holes and never crawling out again. He'd stand over the dark pit laughing loudly as they pleaded for help.

"Why?" he laughed at them. "You honestly think I'm going to help _you_?"

They were then pulled deeper into the hole, their cries far off. His dream changed to him in a university classroom. However, he stood behind a podium instead of behind a desk. In this part of the dream, he was in his early twenties. He lectured the class, teaching them his views of Psychology and the way the brain worked. They listened to him, curiosity obvious in their eyes. When he finished speaking, they would applaud for him.

Once again, the dream changed. He sat at a dinner table with professional looking men in business suits. On his left, was a beautiful blonde woman in a curve hugging black dress. Jonathan's eyes ogled over her.

"Tell me about when you won the Nobel Peace Prize again," she purred. Jonathan's eyes nearly popped out of his head when he felt her stroke the back of his neck. Who _was _this woman and how had _he _gotten her? Jonathan hardly ever thought about girls. Sure, the occasional one would catch his eye and he would do a once over. Had he ever come in contact with one? No, never. He honestly didn't have time to worry about catching one either. Girls were difficult and usually didn't come within a ten mile radius of him.

But then again, he was a hormonal teenage boy so he supposed it wasn't that odd to be dreaming about some girl perched in his lap.

"Well," he chuckled nervously.

"Can I take your drink order, sir?" a familiar voice asked him.

Jonathan craned his neck and his jaw dropped. Brynn Kiley was wearing her All-Stars uniform. She stood behind him, looking less than pleased, with a notepad and pen in her hand. So now they all had to wait on him? Could this dream get any better?!

Before he could order in a smug, cocky voice, the dream changed again. The dinner party was gone, the blonde girl was no longer in his lap, and Brynn had disappeared. Jonathan looked down at his clothes and frowned when he saw he was wearing ratty khakis and an ill-fitting sweater. His eyes scanned the premises and his heart dropped to his stomach.

_No. Not here. Anywhere but here. _

"Jonathan!" a voice hissed. Instantly, his spine went rigid.

"This is all a dream," he whispered to himself. Behind him, the floor boards creaked.

"I am talking to you, you spawn of Satan!" she shouted.

"Wake up, wake up…"

"Filthy, perverted, sinful leech." Her claws grabbed him by his collar.

"Wake up, wake up," he shouted desperately.

He was thrown to the floor. Jonathan looked up at his grandmother in terror. She had the body of an elderly woman but the head of a crow. The beak was covered in blood and its beady black eyes were merciless.

"Go to hell," she screeched before pecking his eyes out.

Jonathan woke up abruptly and gasped. The chair he had fallen asleep in tipped back and for the second time that night he was falling. The impact with the floor shook his body violently. Jonathan groaned and looked at the clock. It wasn't even ten thirty yet.

Jonathan pulled himself up and limped to the bathroom. He ran the sink and splashed cool water on his face. His heart still pounded in his chest like a wild animal. Shaky breaths came out of his mouth.

Jonathan leaned over the sink for a while, the sound of his breathing the only thing he could hear. The quiet was interrupted when he heard a loud, disgusting moan on the other side of his wall followed by the name, 'Samantha.'

"Oh, for God's sake," he hissed angrily.

It was going to be a long night.

**. . .**

This was probably the worst, most awkward first date in the history of awkward first dates.

After Sydney had her round of fun, Brynn and Brendan had spent nearly the entire ride to the restaurant in silence. Questions and stiff answers were thrown back and forth like an ongoing game of tennis. Not only had the car ride been awkward, but Brendan had gotten lost on the way to the restaurant. An additional forty minutes of awkward silence had occurred as Brendan drove up and down numerous streets, trying to find his way back. When they finally arrived at the restaurant, their reservation had been given to someone else and there was an hour long wait. They hopped back into the car and drove around to find someplace else to eat.

Brendan tapped his thumbs against the steering wheel while Brynn stared out the window. They hadn't spoken in nearly fifteen minutes. Of course the two most awkward people in the world would end up on a date together. Brynn wasn't sure what was up. She usually wasn't so uncomfortable around boys. She had definitely changed in the last few months and not for the better.

"I'm really sorry about dinner," Brendan broke the silence suddenly.

"It's fine," Brynn tried to not sound disappointed. A loud growl from her stomach said otherwise.

Brendan raked a hand through his light brown hair. "Anywhere else you can think of?"

She shrugged. "Whatever you want."

God, she felt like an ass. Brynn tried to break the tension. She leaned forward and turned on the radio and began to channel surf. She stopped on one channel and started tapping her foot to the beat.

"_Carry on my wayward son,_

_There'll be peace when you are done._

_Lay your weary head to rest._

_Don't you cry no more."_

"You like this song?" Brendan asked.

Brynn nodded. "Yeah, it's one of my favorites."

A smile appeared on Brendan's face. "Thank God. I've met a girl who actually has a good taste in music."

Brynn tapped her fingers against her legs, thankful that the awkward silence was coming to an end. "I've never heard that one before. I usually get made fun of for my music choices."

"I've got a bunch of CDs in the back if you want to pop one in," Brendan told her. He reached his arm behind his seat and tossed the case to her.

Brynn searched through his CDs and smiled. She owned half the CDs he had in here. Brynn chose one and popped it in. A second later, "Back in Black" was blasting from the stereos.

Brendan sang along with an impressively good voice. He was getting into the music and even nodded his head at one point. Brynn giggled when he drummed the steering wheel. He gave her a sheepish smile and stopped.

"No, don't stop," Brynn laughed. "You're a good singer."

"Oh, thanks," he replied. "I was in a band back in high school."

"We're you really?" Brynn asked excitedly. "Let me guess…You played the guitar?"

Brendan snorted. "I wish. Actually, I played tuba."

"Oh," Brynn nodded. She hadn't expected that to be his answer.

He playfully punched her arm. "Kidding! That thing weighs more than I do. I played the drums."

Brynn laughed with him. He had such a nice smile, she realized. "You had me for a second, I seriously thought you played the tuba."

He raised his brows at her. "I'm not a band geek, Brynn. Comic geek, yes. But no, not a band geek."

"Harsh," she giggled.

Brendan turned left onto a main street. He glanced through the windshield, looking for food options. "I hear that place is pretty nice."

Brynn followed his gaze and saw a restaurant on the side of the street. A very stuck-up looking couple stood outside. Brynn shrugged. "Eh."

"Alright, no problem," he agreed. "How about that place?"

Once again, Brynn shrugged. "You know, I have no problem getting a burger and fries if that's what you want."

His eyes lit up. "Really?"

She laughed again. "As long as it's not from All-Stars, then sure."

Brendan made an illegal U-turn and headed in the opposite direction. "I hope you like Cheeseburger Paradise."

"Oh, God," Brynn teased. At this point, anything sounded amazing.

Ten minutes later, they were seated in a booth in Cheeseburger Paradise. Brynn flipped through the menu, her mouth watering at all the options. She looked up and caught Brendan staring at her.

"What?" she smiled.

Brendan shook his head. "I was just meaning to tell you that you look nice tonight."

Her cheeks turned pink immediately and a giddy feeling filled her stomach. "You clean up nicely, too."

He snorted and ordered off the menu. Brynn ordered as well and handed her menu to the waitress. She couldn't help but secretly admire Brendan. She was still lost as to why he liked her and not Sydney. Not that she was complaining or anything.

Brendan raised a dark brow. "Checking me out?"

Brynn looked away quickly. "Nope."

"Liar," he smiled. Brynn looked up shyly, a small smile on her face. They sat in silence for a moment, eyes locked.

He rubbed his chin. "So other than having an awesome taste in music and liking cheeseburgers, what else can you tell me?"

"Well I give off a great first impression," Brynn muttered. She shrugged. "I don't know. I'm kind of boring."

"Boring?" Brendan questioned. "I highly doubt that."

"Oh, really?"

"I don't take boring girls on dates. Trust me, you're not boring."

She felt like a pre-teen again and some boy had just called her pretty. The awkwardness had washed away between them and they were getting along nicely. She might as well open up to him if she wanted a second date. "Well…I like to draw. That's pretty cool, I guess."

"You seem like the artistic type," Brendan agreed. Their dinner was placed in front of them. Brynn picked up a fry and took a bite.

"Your turn," she said.

Brendan paused and thought for a moment. "I'm from Minnesota. I moved to Gotham when I was twelve and lived with my mom."

"What about your dad?"

"Didn't know him," he shrugged. "He wasn't around much and then just stopped showing up. I think he's still in Minnesota with his new family."

"Oh," Brynn frowned. "I'm sorry. I didn't know."

Brendan shrugged again. "It's okay. I've got my mom so that's all that matters. I hear your dad's in charge of that one pharmaceutical company in the city?"

"Yepp, Kiley, Inc."

"Any plans on going into the med field?"

Brynn shook her head. "Hell no. I'm too sensitive and am deathly afraid of blood. I'm not sure what I'm going to do."

"You still have time," he told her. "I'm sure you'll be good at whatever you do."

"What about you? What do you want to do?"

"Video game designer," he told her. "I know. I'm a mega-geek."

"No, you're not," Brynn disagreed. She copied him from earlier. "I don't go on dates with geeky guys."

"Then I guess there won't be a second date," he sighed.

Brynn shrugged. "Maybe I'll make an exception."

A small smile formed on his face. Once again, the butterflies were in a frenzy in the pit of her stomach. They finished their meals and paid. Brynn followed her date out to the car and got in. Brendan placed the key in the ignition and the engine roared to life. He pulled out of the parking lot and turned onto the main road.

A slow song played in the background and Brynn grew drowsy. The heat was on high and cocooned her in a warm blanket. She traced her finger over the precipitation on the window.

The car slowed to a halt at a stop light. Brendan turned in his seat to look at Brynn. The moonlight glowed over part of his face while the other half was left in darkness. "I had a great time tonight," he told her. "And I'd love to go on a second date if you'd want to."

"Mmm, I don't know…"

"Oh," Brendan's face fell.

Brynn laughed. "I'm kidding. I'd love to go on a second date."

"Oh, you can't trick a guy like that. I thought you were serious," Brendan pouted.

Brynn leaned closer to him. "I said I was kidding."

She smirked at him. She noticed he was staring at her lips and for a brief moment she had a horrible feeling that something was in her teeth. The dread washed away when she realized it wasn't a look of disgust but something else. Everything went still and next thing she knew he was leaning in to her and pressing his lips against hers.

Brynn practically melted into him as she kissed him back. His hand cupped her chin and she leaned in closer. Her heart pounded rapidly and she feared he could hear it. His tongue was slipping into her mouth, causing her heart to speed up even more.

_Honk!_

Brendan and Brynn jumped back in surprise. Behind them a car, blasted its horn. The light had changed to green during their kiss.

"Shit," Brendan murmured as he hit the gas. The car drove past them in the other lane and the driver threw them the finger before speeding off.

"Whoops," Brendan said carelessly. Brynn had been holding her breath and she immediately erupted into a fit of giggles.

"That would happen," Brynn sighed as she rubbed her hand over her eyes. The car made a few more turns and next thing she knew, they were parked in front of Brighton Hall.

"I'll walk you inside," Brendan said quietly. They entered the building, their shoulders lightly brushing. They reached her door and before Brynn could say anything, he was pulling her in for another kiss.

Her legs felt like Jell-O as she pressed herself against him. Brendan's hands were on her hips and Brynn's arms wrapped around his neck. It had been so long since she had last kissed a boy. She was surprised she even remembered how to.

They jumped apart when Brynn's door swung open and Sydney appeared. She looked from Brynn to Brendan then back to Brynn.

"Hey, Syd," Brynn said slowly.

"I'm guessing it went well," her friend replied.

Brynn wiped her swollen lips. "Oh, you know."

"In you go," Sydney pulled her by her arm. She scrutinized Brendan. "Behave yourself."

"Yes, ma'am," he replied. "I made sure she was back before one."

Sydney nodded. "Looks like you get to keep your penis."

"Oh my God, _Sydney_," Brynn groaned.

Brendan snorted. "I guess so. I'll see you around, Brynn."

He flashed her one last smile before turning away. Brynn closed the door behind him and leaned against it. She closed her eyes and sighed happily.

"You are so dead," she mumbled happily. "Here's your whistle."

Sydney took the plastic object from her hand. She inspected Brynn carefully before quietly singing, "Brynn got some assss."

"Shut up!"

Sydney laughed loudly and taunted her friend for the rest of the night. Brynn put up with the jokes and questions. She was just glad she was getting a second date.

**. . .**

**A/N: I am so, so, so, so sorry this is really late. Blame **_**Supernatural. **_**I've recently become addicted to it and am now Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles' slave. Don't hate me. **

**Not my favorite chapter I'll admit so leave your feedback. Thank you so much ElektraMackenzie, tribute14, X-PoisonCherry-X, dEnIsE tHe StRaNgE, MusicHarryPotterVeeVodkaBatm an, and ALastDanceAtDawn for reviewing! Thank you everyone who added the story to their alerts! We reached 100 reviews you guys! Wahoo! I love you all :)**

**I will hopefully have a chapter up on Sunday. This week is supposed to be a joke at school so hopefully I have free time. I'm also done with sports for the year so I should have some more free time to write *yay!*. **

**The class debate is in the next chapter guys! (Or so I plan.) Get ready for some Kiley v. Mapps action!**

**I know there wasn't a flashback of Olivia in this chapter but I just wanted to point out that the scenes of Olivia and Brynn are kind of parallel to each other. Little bits and pieces are supposed to be similar. It's also supposed to represent how much Brynn is like Olivia even though she denies it.**

**Everyone should go read 'A Man You Fear' by DorianGray91. You'll fall in love I swear and have tons of feels. **

**So, I had this idea of a one-shot and I don't know if I'll do it or when I would do it, but if anyone's a fan of John Blake/Harley Quinn, let me know ;)**

**Okay, I'm done. Read, review, you know what to do. (I LOVE YOU ALL, BYE)**


	17. Chapter 17

_Gotham hadn't seen such a hot summer in ages. The insufferable heat was worsened by the still air and smell of pollution. Rubber sneakers sizzled when hitting the scorching asphalt. It was too hot to seek comfort at the pool. The city was almost silent due to everyone remaining in their air conditioned homes. _

_Olivia lied sprawled out on the carpet, her shirt lifted above her bellybutton. She fanned herself with a greasy Chinese menu. Beads of sweat mixed with powdery eye shadow stung her eyes as it dripped down her face. She rubbed them, not caring if she smudged her eye makeup and looked like a raccoon. _

_The phone began to ring and a moment later her roommate, Dee, came into the room. "Phone," she told Olivia. _

_She pushed herself up and took it. "Who is it?"_

_Dee shrugged. "Some dude."_

_Olivia cleared her throat before purring into the phone. "Hello?"_

"_Olivia?"_

_That voice was familiar. Deep and quiet, withholding much from the listener. "Yes?"_

"_It's me." A pause. "The man from last night."_

_Her lips tugged into a frown. "Oh, _you. _I forgot to thank you for treating me so kindly. _Gracias._"_

_He coughed awkwardly. "You're still upset about that?"_

"_Not at all," she replied sarcastically. Men. They were as clueless as the next. "So, why you call? Change your mind about that booty call?"_

"_I called to apologize," he ignored her latter question. "I'd like to make it up to you."_

"_Oh, really?" she said in her best sex-kitten voice. "You did change your mind. Well se__ñ__or, I don't take being thrown out very _kindly. _You'll have to make it up to me somehow."_

"_Not sex," he interrupted quickly. "No, I'm not looking for that. If you'll let me, I'd like to pay for your…denied services."_

"_Denied services?" she asked lamely._

"_Yes."_

_Geez, this guy was modest. He was probably the type that went to Confession after pulling himself. "I don't want your money."_

"_I insist."_

_Olivia sighed. Not only was he modest, but he was chivalrous. Great. Now he was going to pull an I'm-not-like-the-rest-of-them. Like she hadn't heard that one before. "Save it for your next _la puta_."_

"_There won't be another '_la puta_,'" he said a bit impatiently. "Now please. Let me pay you."_

"_Ugh, fine!" Olivia snapped. "Where should I pick it up?"_

**. . . **

"Brendan! Stooop!" Brynn squealed. She ducked as a slice of banana was thrown at her face, missing her by an inch. She retaliated by chucking a grape across the table. Her aim was horribly off and hit Sydney smack-dab in her face.

Sydney wiped the moist spot on her nose where she'd been hit and scowled. "Didn't your mothers teach you not to play with your food?"

"She did but I never _listened _to my mother," Brendan snickered, earning a slap on the hand from Sydney. "Brynn started it…"

"_Please_," Brynn snorted as she bounced another grape across the table. It landed with a _splash_ in Sydney's orange juice.

"Jesus, Brynn!" she snapped. "Eat the damn grape, don't throw it!"

"I'm sorry!" Brynn managed to get out through her uncontrollable giggles. "I'll get you a napkin."

"Yeah, you do that," Sydney mumbled angrily.

She left them to argue about table etiquette and returned a moment later with a stack of brown napkins. Brynn's eyes found the clock on the wall. Ten minutes before her Psychology lecture. She had barely gone over the notes and was nowhere near prepared for today. Hopefully, she would go unnoticed during class by Professor Mapps. Class debates had never been a strength of hers.

Brynn excused herself to go to class, promising to meet up with Brendan sometime after class. She felt light and giddy as she walked to the main building, her mind still on Brendan. She happily hummed as she rode the elevator to the fourth floor and entered the classroom. The lecture hall was beginning to fill up with sleepy-eyed students. Professor Mapps was fumbling with the projector. He cursed under his breath as the device failed to turn on. Jonathan Crane studied his notes. He briefly glanced up at Brynn as she set her bag on the floor next to him.

"Jonathan," Brynn greeted the younger boy. Her good mood was infectious and she felt the need to share it with everyone. Might as well brighten someone's day, she figured. Jonathan Crane always seemed in need of some kindness even if he denied it.

"What?" he asked absently as he flipped a page in his notebook.

A frown threatened to ruin her grin. She fought it off and gave him a tight smile. "Hey."

He stared at her blankly with one eyebrow raised. Brynn slowly waved, trying to get the idea across. "_Hi._"

"…Hello," he said unsurely.

Good God, his social skills made her want to claw her face.

Brynn plopped down in her chair. Jonathan was staring at her, confusion stained on his face. After a moment, he shrugged and went back to his notes.

"Class, I'll be back in a moment. Seems to be that the projector refuses to work this morning. No funny business while I'm gone or I'll bring all your grades down a letter," Professor Mapps warned. He pushed the projector out on its cart and disappeared.

As predicted, the volume inside the classroom rose. One show-off walked to the front of the room and began to draw a penis on the board, earning a few snickers from the class. Brynn was startled as a wad of paper bounced across the table and rolled onto the floor. She turned in her seat and eyed Griffin Montgomery and Riley O'Donaghue sitting at the top. They watched with menacing eyes and wolfish smiles. Brynn scowled as Riley blew her an air kiss.

Another wad of paper was thrown in her direction. She ducked as it neared the table. It bounced off the top of Jonathan's head and into his backpack. Jonathan twisted in his seat and scowled as Riley and Griffin erupted into laughter.

"Apes," he muttered under his breath. His face was bright red.

"Do you want me to talk to them?" Brynn offered. "Or get Conrad to?"

Jonathan looked at her as though _she_ had been the one to throw the paper wad at him. "I don't remember asking for your help."

"You could start by asking politely."

He fixed her with a threatening glare. "Could you shut your mouth for five minutes? You're absolutely infuriating, Brynn."

"Woah, Swear Virgin," Brynn taunted, receiving a death threat from Jonathan's light, blue eyes. "Someone's got their panties in a wad."

"Will you—"

"Okay!" she surrendered. "I'm sorry, I'll stop."

Jonathan hunched over his notes and ignored her. A heavy feeling of guilt settled into her stomach. So much for lighting up his day. All she had managed to do was put him in an even worse mood. Swell.

Professor Mapps returned with a new projector. He promptly walked to the board and erased the detailed penis that had been drawn. "Be sure to thank _Mr._ _Van Gogh_. An essay will be due tomorrow thanks to that lovely drawing."

The class roared with anger. Seventy accusing stares turned to the showoff who was slouching in his seat, an I-don't-give-a-damn smile plastered to his face. One of Griffin's paper wads collided into the side of his head.

"Let's get this debate started, shall we?" Mapps asked exasperatedly.

The lights were turned off and the projector sighed as it turned on. Brynn zoned out as Professor Mapps instructed the class on how the debate would take place. She remained quiet as an image of the first person was displayed on the cinder-block wall. As long as she lied low, she could get through this without being called on.

Next to her, Jonathan scribbled furiously and constantly turned to a fresh sheet of paper. He never raised his hand to answer a question. Brynn read over his shoulder and saw that he wrote down his thoughts on each criminal. He went into depth on why he believed they had committed the crime and whether or not he thought they were innocent or guilty. Brynn copied some of his thoughts into her own notebook so it would appear that she was actually paying attention to Mapps.

Professor Mapps was having a field day with the debate. Behind his glasses, his eyes gleamed with excitement as he argued with his students. He would have made an excellent lawyer had he chosen not to become a teacher. Mapps fired back at each student, causing them to squirm under his penetrating gaze. Some students were able to keep up with his quick questions and disagreements. Those debates were the most intriguing and had the entire class on the edge of their seats, holding their breath. They volleyed back and forth in a verbal tennis match with the crowd looking from one arguer to the other. The moment the student arguing with Mapps would pause or be unsure of what to say would cause the class to groan in unison. Their teacher was unbeatable.

Brynn was sitting diagonally as she watched Mapps and one girl in the third row battle it out. Her teacher sat leisurely on the desk as he listened to her debate. Then _bam! _Mapps would turn into that unstoppable machine.

"But _why?" _he insisted. "Why would Mr. Foster feel compelled to do such a thing? They were his _parents, _after all."

"There could have been a family history of psychological disorders," she reasoned. "Or an unstable household and abusive relationships. He must have had a reason for doing what he did."

"Yes, there _could have _been psychological disorders and there _could have _been abusive relationships but do you have proof? Where's your evidence, Miss Turner?"

The girl opened her mouth to reply but no sound came out. She froze as she realized she didn't have the proof to defend the man. Her classmates' eyes encouraged her to make something up to keep going. The pregnant pause lengthened and the fire in her eyes burned out. Mapps nodded.

"You had a decent argument, Miss Turner. Next time you might want to know your facts."

Mapps strolled to the front of the room. "We have time for one more analysis. I believe you will all be quite interested in this next case." He turned to the projector and changed the slide. "The trial was rather explosive and took many twists and turns."

Brynn looked up from doodling in her notebook and nearly fell out of her chair. All color washed from her face and her heart galloped wildly.

"Olivia Rivers," Professor Mapps announced. He gestured to her enlarged mug shot on the wall. "Known as 'The Femme Fatale' and 'Vamp of Gotham.' The press described her as being a 'beauty and a beast.'"

There was nothing beautiful about the wretched woman. Her dark eyes peered into the camera sinisterly and her looks were hardened by her cropped hair and angry scar on her forehead. Right where the bullet had gone through.

_Too bad it didn't finish the job_, she thought bitterly.

"Born in Mexico in the '50s, Miss Rivers moved to Gotham as a teen," Mapps informed them. "She worked as a prostitute. All of her victims were former customers."

The slide changed and showed the pictures of three men. "From left to right: William Hannigan, Antoine Banks, and Charles Branden. What did these men all have in common?" He paused and swept his eyes over the room.

"They got some ass?" a boy towards the top said. The room erupted into laughter. Brynn's eyes narrowed dangerously. She stabbed her pen into her notebook and scribbled random words.

Professor Mapps ignored his crude comment. "Money and power, actually. It is believed that is why Miss Rivers went after her targets. Each one promised her something and then threw her to the curb. Murdering them was an act of revenge."

_Bullshit, _Brynn thought darkly.

"So what makes her so dangerous?" the boy who had uttered the inappropriate comment asked. "She doesn't seem like a 'deranged serial killer' to me." He added air quotes around 'deranged serial killer.'

Mapps looked at him carefully. "What made her so dangerous was that she carved her victims like Jack-O-Lanterns."

The class fell silent. Brynn felt the morning's breakfast rolling around in her stomach dangerously. Where was the nearest exit? She needed to high-tail it out of there.

"Her preferred use of weapon was a steak knife," Mapps went on, not caring that half the class had just eaten. "All of her victims were found with stab wounds and numerous slashes and cuts to their abdomens, arms and legs. The bodies were then dumped in dumpsters within a three-mile radius of one another."

Mapps changed the slide again. A picture of Olivia, with longer hair and wearing a jumpsuit, in court was next. She stared at something off to the side. Next to her sat a balding man in an expensive business suit. "That is Larry Tobin, Olivia's defense attorney. In my opinion, he did nothing to help her case. The only thing on his mind was what he was having for dinner later on that night, not how he was going to help his client. It seemed as though he wanted her to end up behind bars."

The professor went into detail about the case. He explained to the class that many theories as to why she killed them had been floating around. She was a 'spy' for an enemy company. All the men had promised to leave their wives or pay for elaborate gifts. Olivia had lured her victims to her with her charm, seduction, and lies. Some believed she manipulated the men psychologically and that they all loved her but eventually became fed up with her and her abuse towards them. Everything Mapps had to say was just a repeat of what Brynn had already heard before. It was all old news.

"The citizens absolutely despised her," Mapps was saying. "They would throw things at her and threaten to kill her if the law didn't. When she was given a sentence to life in prison, the people were absolutely furious. They demanded the death penalty for all her crimes."

Once again, the slide changed. Four pictures of four different people at the witness stand were on the wall. "The main people to testify against her were: Bud Callahan, her former pimp; Chandler Shelton, a reporter from _Gotham Times_; Robin Ryder, Charles Branden's secretary; and Dee Harlinger, Olivia's former roommate and a fellow prostitute."

Professor Mapps turned off the projector. "Olivia Rivers remained very indifferent during the case. She treated it like a joke and would fire back at her opponents. On numerous occasions, she would lash out at the people, strengthening their hatred for her. During her final days in court, she grew very quiet and zoned out, finally realizing what her fate would be. In all honesty, I thought it was an act. I've always been able to read people rather well and something seemed very off about Olivia Rivers, almost like she was being forced to behave in such a way. My doubts about her being guilty grew as the case came to an end."

"Clearly your people-reading skills were rather off," Brynn muttered under her breath. She received a questioning glance from Jonathan.

Mapps then began his debate with the students. The first two students he called on were quickly dismissed due to their blank stares and starting off their statements with 'um.' Jonathan was called on next.

"Mr. Crane, we haven't heard from you during our debate. Do you find Miss Rivers to be innocent or guilty?"

"Innocent," Jonathan answered promptly.

"And why do you stand by that?"

_Yeah, really? _Brynn wanted to add.

"I was assigned Olivia Rivers while we were writing our reports on infamous criminals. While researching her, I thought the evidence and facts did not quite match up. The case seemed rushed; the jury did not carefully put the pieces back together. They were too influenced by the voice of the people which blurred their opinions of whether or not she was innocent or guilty. I do not believe they were thinking for themselves and were pressured into declaring her guilty."

"Interesting," Mapps nodded. "Had you been on the case Mr. Crane, how might you have handled it?"

He adjusted his glasses and replied, "I would have run numerous psychological tests. To understand Olivia Rivers, you need to peel her apart and examine each layer carefully. What makes her tick? What was her home life like? What caused her to murder all those men? All factors would need to be analyzed and of course there are many other questions to be answered."

"And what was her home life like?" Professor Mapps threw a curve-ball at Jonathan, trying to throw him off. Brynn suppressed a smirk. There was no way he had gotten that deep into her mother's life. Jonathan had probably just scanned over the basic facts.

Jonathan didn't even flinch at the question and answered without difficulty. "Her father was unknown and her mother was an illegal immigrant who was later deported. The two were mentioned to have a tense relationship. When she and Charles Branden engaged in their affair, they conceived a child, Briana Rivers. Branden left Rivers after learning of her pregnancy but they later rekindled the relationship."

_Holy shit. _Jonathan knew about her. What if he had done further research on her? The adoption had been quiet but there were surely papers floating around, weren't there? It wouldn't be hard to find that Briana Rivers was adopted and changed her name to Brynn Kiley…

An impressed smile formed on Professor Mapps' face. "Ah, I was wondering if you would discover the love-child. It is one of the forgotten parts to the case. Very good, Mr. Crane. As always, I'm impressed."

Jonathan's face remained blank and gave away no emotions. As far as she could tell, Jonathan was oblivious to the fact that Briana Rivers was sitting next to him. She preferred to keep it that way.

"Miss Kiley," Professor Mapps said suddenly. "What is your take on Olivia Rivers? Innocent or guilty?"

She froze like a deer in the headlights, unsure of how to respond. There were many things she could say about her mom._ I hope she rots in hell. I wish she would have gotten the death penalty. _The eyes of her classmates bore into her back, Jonathan's being the most intense. They quietly dared her to make a better argument than his, if that was possible.

"G-guilty," she squeaked. Her tongue felt like sand paper and a lump had formed in her throat.

"Why?" Mapps pressed.

"I mean…she killed all those men," Brynn tried. How do you make your case without giving away your true identity?

"You're going to need a better argument than that, Miss Kiley," he stared down his nose at her, disapproval written all over his face.

She was at a loss of words. What could she say? The woman who was supposed to raise her had killed her father and turned her childhood into a nightmare? That her actions forced her in and out of homes in the Narrows, constantly afraid because she did not have that motherly figure in her life to make her feel safe? That, because of her, she underwent so much therapy and took so many pills to try and make her a "normal" child?

"She's…"

"Mr. Fitzpatrick," Mapps gave up on her and turned to another student. "Your opinion on Miss Rivers? And 'because she killed all those men' is not a sufficient answer."

Anger bubbled inside of Brynn, making her an active volcano of emotions. She wanted to scream until she was incapable of producing sound. She wanted to destroy everything in her path, a tornado on the loose. Hell was about to be unleashed. It had been ages since she had felt so angry. This anger she felt had been what caused her to be on meds for so long.

"She did it because she was sadistic and enjoyed seeing people suffer."

All eyes turned from the Fitzpatrick kid to Brynn. Professor Mapps cocked his head to the side. "You failed to provide me with an answer Miss Kiley. You've lost your chance."

His words went through one ear and out the other. Brynn swallowed down her nerves, aware of all the eyes suddenly watching her. "Olivia Rivers lived off the misery of others. Pain gave her strength, even if it meant tearing apart entire families."

Mapps clasped his hands behind his back and casually walked back to her side of the room. He stared down at her, trying to make her feel inferior. For once, Brynn held his gaze, refusing to lose this.

"I believe Miss Rivers was forced into the killings by someone of a higher power," Mapps replied.

"Who?" Brynn demanded.

He began to list people off with his fingers. "Her pimp, an enemy of the men, another lover—"

"Do you have proof to back this up?" she spat his earlier words back at him.

"The possibilities are endless."

"There are no possibilities. Olivia Rivers committed those crimes with a smile on her face."

"You believe she did it for pleasure?" Mapps asked.

"I'm sure she got a kick out of it," she replied bitterly.

Mapps adjusted his tie, seemingly uninterested with her views. "Have you considered the possibility of her being framed?"

"Never," Brynn growled.

"Maybe you should keep your mind open to these possibilities."

Brynn barked out a laugh. She brushed her hair out of her face and gave Mapps a funny look. "You're kidding me? She seemed far from regretful during her trial. The entire thing was a joke to her and a publicity act."

Mapps folded his arms. From the expression in his eyes, it was clear he was not going to let her win this case. "If Olivia Rivers was being threatened by someone to take the fall for their crimes, I'm sure she would put on a different face."

"Why would she let someone put the knife in her hands? If she had the brains, she'd be smart enough to tell everyone it was a big misunderstanding."

"Powerful people can keep people of her status on a leash. One wrong word and she'd be dead," Mapps declared.

"Too bad that bullet to the head didn't finish the job," Brynn said with fake sympathy.

"And that is another clue to her being framed," Mapps retaliated. "Fear of being locked in prison for the rest of her life or being killed the moment she stepped out a free woman would have been too much to handle. Have you considered that possibility, Miss Kiley? If you were in a lose-lose situation, how would you cope? It seems as though Miss Rivers could not handle the possibility."

Brynn blinked, unsure of what to say to that. Mapps took her a pause as an indicator of his victory. "I expect that essay tomorrow. Write about what we discussed in class and what your thoughts on it were."

The anger was still coursing through her veins. Her vision was blurred and her hands shook violently. She knew better than anyone that that bitch was guilty. Just because Mapps had 'people-reading powers' didn't make him right.

She interrupted him again. "Olivia Rivers tried to kill herself because she was a coward and didn't want to spend the rest of her miserable life in jail."

Mapps glared at her, an obvious warning on his face. He was fed up with this. Good. That made two of them. "If you wish to discuss this further, you can see me after class."

"No need," she said. Her dark eyes were narrowed dangerously. "I know for a fact I'm right about her being guilty."

"What are you doing?" she heard Jonathan whisper. She ignored him and sent imaginary daggers in Mapps' direction.

"Miss Kiley, you do not have sufficient evidence to prove whether or not the woman is guilty. This trial occurred when you were still a child and is far from your understanding," Mapps snapped.

She lost it then. Brynn slammed her palms on the table, making the students around her flinch. "What makes you think she's so pure and innocent, Professor? Was she fucking you, too?"

The collective gasp of the students could be heard from outside the classroom. Professor Mapps stared at her in disbelief. The students waited for their teacher to jump across the desk and strangle her. The Swear Virgin's mouth had formed a perfect O. The color of Brynn's skin went from white to pink to chili pepper red. No one breathed for several seconds.

A vacuum cleaner being used on the third floor could be heard in the room due to the cemetery-like silence.

"Class dismissed," Professor Mapps managed to get out. Brynn stood and clumsily knocked over her chair. Jonathan's face read Have-you-lost-your-mind? Clearly, she had. With her head down low and her eyes trained on the floor, she jogged out of there, seventy pairs of eyes watching unbelievingly as she made her hasty retreat.

**. . . **

Brynn sat alone in a vinyl booth at Checker's, an on-campus diner. The clock, fashioned to look like an owl, ticked loudly, its hands indicating it was 7:45. Brendan was supposed to have been there fifteen minutes earlier. The waitress had come over three times already, trying to get Brynn to order something.

While she waited, she bent her plastic fork, snapping the tines in half. The day had been rough after Psychology class. Students from that class who she saw throughout the day either looked at her strangely or whispered to their friends. She was now that crazy chick from Mapps' class who had gone into orbit during the debate. Brynn ducked her head shamefully, trying to forget the morning's events.

She would never be able to show her face in that class again. Mapps probably wouldn't let her back into class and would just fail her. What if he went to the dean and Brynn ended up getting kicked out of college? She'd really be screwed then. Brynn buried her face in her hands; she needed to call her dad and convince him to let her drop the course. Either she miraculously persuades her father or look forward to a life of flipping burgers on a grill.

"Ready to order?" the waitress asked for the fourth time, her pen poised over her notebook.

Brynn craned her neck to see if Brendan was anywhere in sight. "Could I get a few more minutes?"

The waitress huffed. "Either you order now or never. I've got paying customers willing to take your booth."

What was _her _problem? The world was teaming up against Brynn today, making life a living hell one step at a time. She opened her menu with shaking hands, the waitress' eyes beaming lasers into her skull. "Okay, okay. Sheesh. I'll just get a Caesar and a Coke."

Great. Dinner for one. Brynn frowned, misery seeping from her pores. She just wanted to go home—not Brighton Hall, her actual _home_—and curl up in bed and never wake up. That way she'd never have to think about Psychology or Professor Mapps or Olivia Bitch-Face Rivers again. She made a mental note to start nagging her parents about switching to Hadley again. She could start fresh—no one would know about her mom and she would drop Psychology. Heck, maybe she'd even cut her hair and change her name to Jessica. People liked Jessicas. She didn't know of any Jessica with a sadistic, psychopath mother.

It was official: in the morning, she'd go to the administration building and transfer to Hadley, then change her name to Jessica Kiley. It had a nice ring to it.

Behind her, the bell on the door rang. She swiveled in her seat, expecting Brendan to walk through the doors with an apology on his lips. Instead, Professor Mapps walked in and made eye contact with her.

"_Shit_," Brynn whispered and turned around again. She had the urge to hide behind her menu or army crawl to the kitchen. His loafers squeaked against the polished floor as he walked over to her booth, ignoring Brynn's mental threats to go away.

"Miss Kiley," Mapps greeted quietly.

His expression was blank as he stared down at her. Brynn gulped. "Professor."

He gestured to the opposite side of the booth. "Mind if I sit?"

"Not at all," she squeaked out. Heat rushed through her body. Sweat was prickling along her brow and under her arms. Was he going to chew her out in public? Shouldn't he do this in class?

"I should probably apologize for earlier," Brynn mumbled to her shaking hands. _Here come the fireworks…_

Professor Mapps removed his glasses and cleaned them with his handkerchief. "There's no need for that."

Brynn frowned, puzzled by his words. "I, um…I understand if you decide to…_fail _me because of what I said."

"Brynn," he said seriously.

She ignored him, the apologies tumbling out like word vomit. "I don't know what's wrong with me. I swear, I don't go around yelling at teachers like that and—"

"Brynn," he interrupted. Immediately, she clamped her mouth shut, waiting for him to deliver the punishment.

"You don't have to apologize."

For a moment, she just stared at him. She must have misheard him. "What?"

"You don't have to apologize," Professor Mapps repeated.

The waitress came back with Brynn's salad. She looked at the two funny and walked away, disgusted. She probably thought Professor Mapps was Brynn's date.

"Does that mean you're too angry to accept my apology?" Brynn asked nervously.

She was on edge as she waited for the Professor to reply. A group of girls suddenly began to holler, causing her to jump. The smell of greasy food and other diners was overwhelming. Brynn felt dizzy as she waited for an answer.

Her professor sighed and wiped his mouth his hand. His eyes were thoughtful, his face set deep in thought. The lines around his eyes and mouth deepened, giving him the appearance of a wise sage. Brynn squirmed uncomfortably as his eyes swept over her face. The action was not creepy or suggestive or appreciative nor was it angry. He seemed to be…analyzing her.

"I'm not sure if you know this, but your sister was one of my students last year," Mapps spoke slowly as though he was talking to a fifth grader. "Very bright girl. The two of us got along and I often keep in touch with her. At the end of last year, I helped her look for internships at nearby hospitals."

Brynn was tearing her napkin to shreds. "Alright…"

"Naturally, I was taken aback by your words. At the moment, I thought you were trying to show off or were defying me. But that didn't make sense to me because I'd never had a problem with you acting like a fool. Then it crossed my mind that you became a bit too excited due to the debate and that was what caused you to choose your words. And once again, it didn't seem right," Mapps explained.

He continued, his eyes staring at her in that analyzing way. "I decided to talk to Cadence about it. I noticed during class that you seemed…bothered."

"You talked to Cadence?" Brynn said slowly.

Her professor nodded. He ran his hands over his face, genuinely stressed by the conversation. "Cadence… revealed some things to me. Things about you."

"Like?" Brynn asked although she already had a fair idea of what his answer was.

"Information that was related to Olivia Rivers," he admitted quietly.

_Whoomp! There it is, _Brynn thought bitterly.

An unbearable silence followed. Brynn trained her eyes on the owl clock on the wall, her lips pressed in a thin line. The conversations around them drowned out as the two sat awkwardly, neither wanting to be the first to speak.

"I'm going to wring her neck," Brynn broke the silence. To her bitter delight, Mapps' eyes widened by a fraction. "Oh, wait—that sounds bad, especially since I'm related to a serial killer."

"Don't say that," Mapps quietly chastised.

Brynn snorted. She looked him straight in the eye. "I guess it runs in the family."

"Now I've done it," Mapps muttered to himself. "Try to understand that I was concerned for you. I wouldn't have gone around digging for secrets had I thought you were fine. Had I known earlier, I wouldn't have pestered you so often about…her."

"You shouldn't have asked in the first place," Brynn snapped. She reached into her wallet and pulled out a crumpled ten. "I would have preferred being yelled at with you not knowing the truth."

She stood despite his protests and nearly bumped into the waitress. The woman scowled at her. Brynn returned the gesture, hers fueled with more hatred and anger. She paused before walking away, debating whether or not she should say it. Oh, what the hell. Her life was a mess. Not much else could further ruin it.

"You know, when she was first arrested, I thought she was innocent," Brynn spoke lowly so only he could hear her. She was fighting (and losing) to keep the lump from forming in her throat. Mapps sat quietly as he listened to her confession. "But then I thought to myself, 'What woman does this to their child?' I was left alone because of her. For four years, I was tossed around from one foster family to the other. And not a single one of them wanted me. I was a murderer's daughter. I was going to turn out like her and it would be only a matter of time before I snapped. Who wants to raise a murderer, huh?"

He stared down at his hands as the words slipped out of her mouth. She had never admitted these thoughts to anyone before. Not her parents, not her siblings, not Dominic, no one. Mapps was a complete stranger who didn't deserve to know the truth.

"I don't care what you think of her or what you think of me, Professor Mapps. All I know is that my-my _mother _killed my father and left me to the vultures," her voice shook. "Nothing you can say or do will ever change what she did."

His eyes were filled with sympathy. Brynn didn't want his sympathy—she wanted to forget. "No words can express how truly sorry I am, Miss Kiley. If you ever need anyone to talk to, I'm here."

A sad, empty smile tugged the corners of her mouth upwards. "You wouldn't understand."

"I can try."

"Well, if your mom ever puts a bullet in her head and covers you in her brain matter, let me know. Then we'll talk."

Brynn backed away and left the building, fighting off tears. _What a mess_, she thought.

That didn't even begin to sum it up.

**. . . **

_Olivia waited impatiently in the parking garage of a building in downtown Gotham. She leaned her body against a red sedan. The lights from above reflected off the cars around her and hummed lowly. The heat was unbearable down here. If this dude didn't hurry up, she'd have a heat stroke. _

_Her back ached from leaning against the car for so long. She stretched, a loud _crack _echoing throughout the garage. He had five minutes to show up or else she'd be gone. _

_Four minutes…_

_Three minutes…_

_The heat was rising…_

_Two…_

"_Screw it," she hissed as she got down to the final minute. Olivia pushed herself off the car. Suddenly, the alarm screamed, making her jump. She cursed wildly in Spanish. After leaning against the car forever, it decided to go off then? _

"_Having trouble?" a voice asked. _

_Olivia screeched and spun around, her heart thumping against her chest. "Oh," she mumbled unenthusiastically. "You."_

_The man from the phone shrugged. "Sorry to disappoint."_

_Olivia crossed her arms over her chest and scanned over his body. Despite the torrid heat, he wore a black business suit. Perched on his head were black glasses giving him the appearance of a charming school boy. Olivia fought the urge to lick her lips._

_He reached into his jacket and retrieved a manila envelope. "This should cover it."_

_Olivia tore it open and counted the money. She looked up at him, suspiciously. "A thousand extra? Why?"_

"_Consider it an apology for kicking you out," he said. _

"_Full of charm, se__ñ__or," she told him sarcastically. "Dangerous trait to have." Olivia stuck her hand out with the extra money. "I don't want."_

"_I insist."_

"_Denied," she growled. "Take."_

_The man sighed and reached his hand out to take the money from her. Their fingers touched briefly and in that moment, Olivia felt like she had been electrocuted. Her stomach did a belly flop at the contact and sent sparks throughout her body. The man must have felt something, too. His green eyes studied her face quietly, his light brows slightly furrowed. Olivia's eyes landed on his mouth. He had a handsome, full mouth which was slightly parted. She imagined him catching her mouth with his and blessing her with the opportunity to feel him move against her, to be one. _

_She unwillingly pulled her hand back and held it with her other one. Olivia was not a believer in love at first sight or touch or whatever. Girls like her didn't experience love, especially when working that type of job. Allowing her feelings to intervene was strictly prohibited. Becoming too attached to a client always ended badly._

"_I…" the man began. He was at a loss for words, his eyes still taking in the sight of her face. _

"_Must go," she answered quickly and spun on her heel. Olivia hurried away, pleading with her body to lose its warm, tingly feeling. _

"_Charlie," the man suddenly said._

_Olivia stopped and turned to look at him. "What?"_

_He pointed back at himself. "I'm Charlie."_

_Mystery man had a name. It suited him perfectly. Olivia was torn between walking back or disappearing. With a toss of her curls over her shoulder, she gave him a smirk. _

"_And I'm gone."_

_She glanced at him once more from under thick lashes, causing his breath to catch. Olivia slowly disappeared into the labyrinth of cars leaving him to wonder._

_A tiny part of her hoped that desire intermixed with his wonder. _

**. . . **

**A/N: I'M NOT DEAD! Just lazy and overwhelmed with homework and crap. But I'm back with the longest chapter yet! Squeeee!**

**In case any of you were wondering, during the first flashback of Olivia and Charlie, Olivia said 'la puta.' This means slut in Spanish. Just an FYI.**

**Thank you for reviewing: TymanTB, BroCasper, HarryPotterVeeVodkaBatman, ElektraMackenzie, Guest, Solstice White, DorianGray91, dEnIsE tHe StRaNgE, AlainHotCoco1, teacupful, and BloomingFireHeart! Thank you to everyone who added the story to their alerts! Your feedback really keeps me going and is very helpful and encouraging. **

**I'm really excited to write the next chapter. I have a really good idea and I hope you guys will like it. I'll probably start it today or tomorrow. We shall see! But in the meantime, get excited for Chapter 18 ;)**

**I think that's it…yeah, that's about it. Review, review, review! Leave any critiques, ideas, cookies, puppies, anything!**


	18. Chapter 18

The sinister beings of Gotham were creeping out of their holes for a night of fun and games. Mischief and mayhem followed on their heels, hollering and hooting, ready for a night on the town. People retreated to their homes, their heads kept low, eyes sweeping over dark corners and threatening alleyways. The police patrolled the streets of the Narrows, their specially trained eyes looking for trouble makers. Officers waited for a voice to radio in, grimly informing them of a homicide or kidnapping. Mothers pulled their protesting children inside before sneaking a glance to make sure the perimeter of their house was safe. The door was then locked with a loud _click, _the blinds drawn.

A typical night in Gotham, one could say. The city molded and crafted by Satan and his demons, intended to be a death trap to every occupant living there. The Sin City of the States. Hell's Playground.

The wind breezed over the empty streets, sending dead leaves into dull-colored tornadoes. It enveloped a man breaking into a car, making his skin break out in goose bumps. The windows of apartments rattled as it became cruel and corrupt like the city, not giving a damn about the frightened people hiding behind bolted doors. The wind was a part of the city. A light, tender breeze was non-existent in this City of the Corrupt.

A few blocks down, the wind found itself pressing against a barrier. Well, not necessarily a barrier—a man's back, to be precise. The wind wrapped around him, failing to send shivers down his back. This man could deal with a cool breeze. He paid no mind to it and would not have noticed it had it not hissed out a loud whistle. For a fraction of a second, he trained his ears on the sound then quickly dismissed it. There were other things to worry about, like his current task.

He stood next to a stone building, ivy crawling the front of it, in the shadows. Passerby overlooked him. They were careless, not even bothering to be on the look for the menacing blending into the shadows. Naïve fools.

In a city like this, one's distraction could be a one way ticket to ending up with a knife in their back.

The wind continued to howl as he watched. Across the street, the door to the diner opened with a light ring. He inhaled deeply and, with his superior vision, eyed the girl carefully. A short girl departed the building. The man took note of her medium-length hair, slightly, chubby build, and tear-stained face. His chin tilted downwards, his lips pursed. It was her.

The last few months had consisted of trailing behind her and watching from the shadows. He never followed her inside a building—that would be too risky. She could be the type to remember a face for long after and if she happened to catch a glimpse of his and see it again, it could lead to suspicions. For now, he kept his distance.

He had picked up on traits of hers just from following her around. She had a slight bounce to her walk, like a child happily walking out to recess or to an ice cream truck, and tended to slouch. Her wardrobe choices usually consisted of t-shirts and track pants. On rare occasions, she'd wear jeans and a flowing, button-up blouse. She liked bright colors and murmured to herself when she walked alone. When walking with friends, she spoke and laughed too loudly, begging for attention.

The man retreated to the shadows when the girl approached a man coming from the opposite direction. They stopped under a streetlamp and the girl crossed her arms, annoyance written across her face. This new person scratched his head and looked at the ground. He apologized for something, claiming he had the wrong times. In response, the girl huffed and continued walking down the street. He followed close behind with his hands in his pockets.

The man watching from the shadows followed them a few more blocks down the street to where the dorms were located. The girl and boy bid each other farewell and took off in opposite directions. The bounce in her walk had disappeared and was replaced with her dragging her feet along the concrete. From her posture, he knew she was tired and that something was bothering her. The man doubted it had to do with the argument he had just witnessed. Something must have happened in the diner.

They neared her dorm building. The wind was picking up again. Its high screeches caused her to snap her head in the direction of which it came, faltering for only a moment. She was easily frightened, he added to his mental list of qualities. As if prepared for her to look back, he gracefully darted behind the foliage. His body was hidden as she took in her surroundings. Her eyes briefly swept over the bushes, not paying much mind to it. He shook his head at her laziness. How she managed to survive in this city was beyond him. She made a hasty retreat to her dorm and rattled the door behind her.

Stepping out from the foliage, the man did a once-over to make sure he was alone. Not a soul was anywhere in sight. They were all probably safely seated in their dorms, throwing back shots. The man smirked; there was no such thing as 'safety.' Danger lurked at every corner.

He walked against the shrieking wind, quietly humming a song from long ago, a song that would be unfamiliar to the people of this hell-hole of a city.

**. . . **

Tomorrow was the first day of Thanksgiving break. Students at Gotham University finished their quizzes and turned in projects. They spoke in quick, cheerful voices, making plans with friends and calling family members to discuss arrival plans. Teachers kept their excitement in tact; on the inside, they were as joyous as their students for the holiday. A few days off from the rigorous life of college would be much appreciated by everyone.

Despite the fact that today was the last day of classes, Brynn had decided to take the day off. Her day had been spent in bliss, doing absolutely nothing other than watching TV reruns and lounging in her pajama pants. A nearly empty bowl of popcorn lay on the edge of the bed, dangerously close to tipping over. _Heathers _silently played out on the tiny TV screen. Brynn, one hand pressed to her forehead, the other gripping a stack of papers, stared miserably at the Psychology notes a girl from her class had just dropped off.

Maybe she should have at least gone to Psychology.

Brynn plopped onto her bed. The aftershock of the bounce sent the bowl and popcorn kernels to the ground. She ignored them as she read over the newest topic they would be covering: mental disorders.

Brynn's eyes studied over the endless list of disorders, as well their symptoms and other information. Bipolar disorder, Schizophrenia, Autism, and numerous others. At first, the information related to them did not seem so bad. Basic facts had been laid out on the page and explained each disorder.

Then came the tricky parts: diagnosing the disorders, drugs used on patients, genetics, specific conditions…

"Aye, aye, aye," Brynn muttered as she flipped through the five handwritten pages. Ten pages, if you counted the fact that it had been written on front and back. At least Brynn did.

She moaned as she flipped through the other pages. So much for a peaceful, lazy night. She adjusted the pillow behind her back as she tried to get comfortable and started studying.

Thirty minutes in, she gave up, her brain scrambled from all the Psychology terms. She dropped the pages onto her face and moaned loudly. A throbbing had begun behind her eyes, its intensity increasing. What was she doing, trying to teach herself Psychology? It hadn't worked in the past, so why bother now?

_No, _she thought sternly. _I need a good—_decent—_grade in that class. I have to at least try. Otherwise, Dad will leave me cut off forever. _

The reminder made her frown deepen. Her account was dwindling. She had no job, no brain, nothing. Zip. Zilch. Nada.

"Why can't I be smart?" she asked to her room. As expected, there was no reply.

She was tremendously jealous of her siblings. For Conrad and Cadence, everything came naturally to them. Both had been valedictorians, both were geniuses, and neither had ever gotten lower than a B+ in a class.

She'd bet on her life that Jonathan Crane had never gotten a grade lower than a _ninety-five…_

Brynn suddenly shot up. The papers fell from her face and onto the disarray of popcorn kernels on the floor. _Jonathan Crane! _Of course! He was her _tutor! _He could explain it to her!

The excitement was momentarily dulled as she looked at her clock. It was half past three. If she hurried, she could meet Jonathan at the library and have him explain everything to her. It worked out perfectly. She just had to hope he hadn't left early to go home for break.

Brynn rummaged through the mess on her desk and retrieved Jonathan's cell phone number. She punched the area code and seven remaining digits into her phone and waited as it rang. Several rings later, she was sent to his mailbox. Brynn tried again and received the same results.

Before the frown could form, she was searching under her bed for the campus directory. Her actions weren't even registering with her brain; she just needed Jonathan's help.

He was listed under the C's, his residence at Dixie-Wells Hall on the second floor. Thankfully, it wasn't that far from Brighton Hall and if she jogged she would be there in no time.

Brynn changed out of her pajamas and ran a hand through her tangled hair. A coat was sloppily thrown over her shoulders, she grabbed her notes, and was out the door.

It wasn't until she was outside that she realized she was paying Jonathan Crane a house call. Her steps faltered as she reconsidered. It was one thing to be seen at the library with him but at his dorm?

She nearly turned around and decided to just accept the fact that she was screwed for Psychology.

As her feet began to pivot, Brynn squared her shoulders and took a deep breath. She managed to convince herself to walk the rest of the way to Dixie-Wells and face the younger boy. As far as she knew, he would reject her pleas and slam the door in her face.

_If it gets to that point_, Brynn thought, _I will break down the door and drag his scrawny ass to the library._

Oh, he was going to be _thrilled _to see her.

Dixie-Wells was one of the dorm halls that had not yet been renovated. The building was painted an ugly poop-brown shade. A shutter on the third floor was hanging by a nail, ready to fall on someone's head at any second. The overall appearance sent passerby in the opposite direction. The house looked like one from ghost stories that babysitters would tell bratty children.

"Charming," Brynn muttered as she opened the door and entered.

Upon walking through the front lobby, it was made obvious that Dixie-Wells was the home of the rejects. Nerdy boys with wiry glasses (similar to Jonathan's) sat around tables, playing chess or talking about philosophy. In a corner by the wall, three Goth boys with numerous piercings, dyed black hair, and leather sat quietly. No—they were _sulking. _Brynn hurried to the door marked _staircase _and made her way to the second floor.

It was less crowded up here. Two chess-playing types sat at a table at the end of the hall and gave her questioning glances. She was given the impression that not too many girls came by for visits.

Brynn counted off the numbers on the doors and found the one that belonged to Jonathan. He had a plain white door with slanted bronze numbers. She tentatively reached her hand out to knock, rattling the door three times. Immediately, she straightened out her hair and jean jacket.

Jonathan did not come to the door. She knocked again, more persistently this time. No movement on the other side could be heard.

Brynn groaned and retreated back down the hall. He must have left already for the holidays.

The two boys at the table were still staring at her, their eyes huge and bug-like behind their glasses.

"What?" Brynn snapped, irritated. "Never seen a girl before?"

They looked away quickly. Obviously, they hadn't. Brynn sighed and walked over to their table.

"Do you guys know Jonathan?" she asked them. She tried to ignore their shocked looks. "About this tall? Extremely sassy and a know-it-all?"

"Oh, the kid from the end of the hall?" the chubbier of the boys asked. So Jonathan had made a reputation of being a complete brat. Honestly, it didn't surprise her. "He left an hour ago."

"Great," Brynn muttered under her breath. "Is he not coming back?"

The skinnier boy shook his head wildly. His glasses slipped down his nose as he did so. "Oh, no. He leaves every day at precisely 2:30 and returns around 3:50—"

"Okay, thanks," Brynn cut him off. "I'll just wait for him in the lobby."

They continued to stare at her as though she had turned periwinkle and sprouted horns. Self-consciousness washed over her like a tidal wave.

"Cut it out," she hissed. Brynn swung the door open to the stairs and made her dissent. Displeasure coursed through her veins at the thought of having to sit in the lobby with all the societal rejects.

As she made her way down the second flight of stairs, the door to the lobby opened. A dark-haired boy walked in. Jonathan. Surprise registered over his face once he saw her, his foot hovering over the step. Tucked under his arm was his black notebook with all his people observations.

"Brynn," he said cautiously. His face and eyes remained blank, his voice being the only thing to give away his surprise.

She shifted uncomfortably on the top step. "I was looking for you," she told him, instantly regretting her words. Now she sounded like a crazed stalker. "I, uh, need help with Psychology."

He cleared his throat and nodded. "You weren't in class."

"I was sick," she lied immediately. The last thing she needed was Jonathan knowing how lazy she truly was.

His eyes claimed they did not believe her. If that was the case, he didn't say anything else on the matter. Jonathan climbed up the stairs, brushing past Brynn. She pressed herself to the wall to allow him to pass, and then followed him.

"Was there a specific topic you didn't comprehend?" he asked over his shoulder. Jonathan pulled out a tiny, gold key and pushed it inside the lock. The action was followed with a loud _click. _

"The entire thing is more like it," Brynn muttered. Jonathan gave her a questioning glance as she gingerly crossed the threshold to his room.

"What are you doing?"

"What do you mean?" she asked.

He gestured to her presence. "Why are you in my room? I don't remember inviting you in."

Brynn stared at him in disbelief. She waited for a smirk to fill his face, signaling he was 'just kidding.' Seriousness filled his irises, his jaw taut.

"You're kidding, right?" Brynn mumbled as she took a few steps back and stood in the threshold. She spread her arms wide. "Better?"

Jonathan ignored her question and laid his notebook down on his desk. The room was immaculately clean and put hers to shame. His thin thumbs hooked around his belt loops. The expression on his face made it clear that he was uncomfortable by her presence.

"The library's closed," he said smoothly, all signs of awkwardness evaporating.

"What about Checker's?" Brynn suggested.

Jonathan's nose wrinkled with distaste at the name of the diner. "That place is almost as bad as All-Stars. We'll accomplish nothing with all the distractions. What about The Coffee Shop?"

"It's closed for the holidays," Brynn replied flatly. "I'd suggest here, but you'd probably feel scandalized."

"Ha, ha," Jonathan laughed, minus the humor. His eyes studied a crack that ran from the floor, up the wall and halfway across the ceiling. "We could go to the Public Library."

The Gotham Public Library was located on the outskirts of the financial district. With traffic, it would be a good thirty minute drive despite being a few miles from the campus.

"Works for me," Brynn agreed. "Where's your car?"

"I don't own one," he replied. "I thought you could drive."

"My parents didn't let me bring mine to college and Conrad won't let me drive his."

"Then I guess we're taking the bus," Jonathan told her as he adjusted his messenger bag.

A low sound of disgust echoed in Brynn's throat. "Ew, the bus? Let's take the train."

Jonathan flicked the light switch and locked the door behind him. "The bus will be faster."

There was no point in arguing with him. Brynn scurried after him and avoided the bug-eyed stares of the nerds from earlier. She followed Jonathan from a few feet behind, listening to the sound of his shoes hitting the pavement. Neither of them spoke as they waited at the bus stop. The agonizing fifteen minutes was spent in silence, both of them shivering from the cold.

"Do you have money?" Jonathan abruptly broke the silence. He leaned against a street light, his black coat fluttering in the wind.

Brynn looked at him from her spot on the bench. "Should I?"

"You need to pay to board the bus."

She scoffed. "Since when? I thought buses were free."

He sighed through his nose. An intense look of disapproval marred his features. Brynn was positive he only saved that look for her. "I'll pay for you this one time."

"We should have just taken the train," she muttered. "Can't people get HIV from buses?"

Around the corner, an enormous bus squealed on its brakes, puffing black smoke into the air. It chugged down the street and came to a halt in front of them. The doors opened with a loud sigh.

"That's an urban legend," Jonathan stated haughtily as he boarded the bus. Brynn climbed in after him and watched as he paid over his shoulder. The doors slammed shut, locking her in the moving death trap.

Jonathan started down the aisle, briefly grabbing each seat as he went. She followed close behind. Her eyes bounced from person to person, taking in their blank stares and apparel. One woman talked on a chunky cellphone, speaking rapid-fire Spanish. Brynn picked up on most of her conversation, which was about her boss being an ignorant bastard. Another woman with spiky black hair and numerous rings pierced into her face bobbed her head as she quietly sang a song to herself. Her judgmental eyes briefly passed over Brynn. Towards the middle, a man in a thick, brown sweater stared out the window, his face lined with deep wrinkles. She was out of her element being amongst all these people.

The bus abruptly began to move and Brynn tumbled into Jonathan. Her nose slammed into the back of his head. In an attempt to save herself from falling, her arms blindly reached out to grab something. A second later, her hands were squeezing Jonathan's shoulders.

"Ow," she moaned. Her hand cupped her throbbing nose. "Aren't they supposed to wait until everyone's seated?"

Jonathan took the window seat and left the aisle for Brynn. The seats barely fit the two of them and she was forced to press her arm and leg against his. Jonathan squirmed around as he tried to get comfortable and elbowed her in the stomach. After a moment, he gave up and sat at an angle, with his back pressed against the window.

Brynn attempted to cross her legs. As she lifted her right leg, a stretched out wad of bubble-gum lifted with her foot.

"Ewww!" she squealed. She rubbed her shoe on the floor, trying to get rid of the sticky substance. "Ew, ew, ew."

"People are staring," Jonathan mumbled, annoyance evident in his voice.

She threw him a threatening glare. "Maybe if we had taken the _train_, they wouldn't stare."

He met her icy glare with one of his own. "Maybe if you had shown up to Psychology today, we wouldn't be on this bus in the first place."

His words went through one ear and out the other as she continued to try and wipe the gum off her foot. Brynn squirmed around and bumped into Jonathan numerous times.

He inched closer to the window as though she was infected with some fatal disease. "Speaking of Psychology, what was with that show-down the other day with Mapps?"

She gave up on trying to peel the gum off her shoe. Brynn blew a stray hair away from her face. "It doesn't matter."

"You swore at him," Jonathan dramatically stated.

"So?" she snapped.

Jonathan shook his head in disbelief. "You behave like a child, Brynn."

"Oh, I'm sorry," Brynn said in a sarcastic voice. "Who's supposed to be the junior in high school again? That's right—you."

Jonathan fixed her with a scowl before staring out the window. The bus roared down the street, bumping and dropping into potholes. Brynn grasped the seat as the bus rolled on. The foul stench of exhaust and body odor drifted into her nose. The bus, aside from the engine, was eerily silent. People stared straight ahead with blank stares. Brynn wondered what they thought about. Were they looking forward to going home and seeing their families? Or were there no families to greet them at the doorsteps? She remembered the feeling of having nothing to look forward to upon arriving home. Each day in foster care had been spent in that manner. After a while, one simply stopped hoping for a warm home and smiling faces. Life became a routine at the point. Brynn had learned how to wear a blank face and stare straight ahead.

A bump in the road distracted her from her thoughts. She was very tired all of a sudden, the memories of her demons draining her out. Jonathan sat quietly next to her, his nose inches from the foggy window. He absently chewed on his nails, paying no mind to the stench of the bus or the bumpy roads. They had been reduced to bloody nail beds. It was a peculiar habit for someone like Jonathan to have, Brynn thought. She wondered if he was the type who stopped caring what was behind the door to his home and lived with a blank face.

The bus came to a stop, letting out a few riders. New ones replaced their absences and paid no mind to the warmth in the seats that had just been occupied. One of the new riders lit a cigarette and took a lengthy drag, filling the space between them with fumes.

Brynn wrinkled her nose at the stench and tried not to inhale the fumes. She coughed into her sleeve, hoping to get the point across that she did not want that near her. Wasn't it against the rules to smoke on a bus?

Her coughing must have irritated the man because he snubbed the cigarette on the back of the seat and stood. "Prissy bitch," he muttered as he relocated. Brynn's jaw dropped in shock.

Next to her, Jonathan shook his head. "Was coughing the best idea?"

"I had something caught in my throat," Brynn lied.

Jonathan rolled his eyes. "Did it require you to hack up a lung?"

She sneered at him and sat silently for the rest of the ride. Forty minutes and five stops later, Jonathan was pushing her out of their seat.

"This is our stop," he explained as he pushed her again. She stumbled out of the seat and hurried off the bus. Outside she was welcomed by cool air. She happily welcomed it into her lungs as the bus rolled away.

"Much better," she said in a cheery voice. "Where's the library?"

"A few blocks away," Jonathan replied. "Six at the most."

"Six blocks?" she whined. "Why didn't we ride the bus the rest of the way?"

He ignored her question and strode down the busy street. Dodging other pedestrians and a puddle the size of Lake Erie, Jonathan led her through the city. His hands were stuffed in the pockets of his jacket. Like the bus ride out there, he made no attempts at small talk.

"So," Brynn began as she hurried to keep up with his fast pace. "Are you doing anything over break?"

"No," he swiftly replied.

_You really know how to hold a conversation, Jonathan, _she wanted to say. "Is your family coming in?"

"Should it concern you?"

"No, I guess not," she replied haughtily. "_Excuse me_ for trying to make small talk."

His top lip pulled up in a sneer. Jonathan opened his mouth to say something but no words formed. Twice, this happened. Finally, in a guarded voice, he added, "My…_family_…does not celebrate Thanksgiving."

Brynn snorted. "You're joking."

"I'm serious. It's a useless holiday and an excuse for civilization to boast their triumph over the rightful people of the land."

"You sound like my twelfth grade Government teacher," Brynn teased. "So I'm guessing you're not one for Christmas either?"

After turning another street corner, the library was in sight. Brynn deliberately slowed her steps, hoping to get a little something out of Jonathan. This was the most he had ever spoken to her. Listening to him rant about his pessimistic beliefs was somewhat fascinating.

"The worst of them all," Jonathan replied as he shooed away a street vendor.

"How can you not like Christmas?!" she exclaimed. "It's the best one. You get presents, for crying out loud!"

"Greedy are we?" he asked in a tone that was similar to teasing. Close, but not quite. "My Christmases did not include presents. They were usually spent in three hour masses well into the early hours of the morning."

"You're religious?" she asked skeptically.

"Hardly," Jonathan spat out. "It was force fed down my throat. My great grandmother, on the other hand, was a devout worshipper. It's complete nonsense, if you ask me."

"You're an atheist, then?"

"Yes."

Brynn chuckled quietly as they neared the library.

"What?" Jonathan demanded.

"A Christian and an atheist walking down the street together," she snickered. "Sounds like the beginning of a bad joke if you ask me."

He rolled his eyes at her. "Brynn, you're the last person I'd ever expect to be religious; especially with your life style choices."

His voice trailed off as he stared farther down the street. Jonathan slowed and stopped, his eyes studying something in the distance. His lips pulled into a frown.

"What?" Brynn looked around his tiny frame. "What are you looking at?"

Shaken from his trance, Jonathan slowly shook his head. "Nothing," he said quietly. He stole one last glance in the direction and Brynn spotted a shiny black SUV parked a few yards away.

Jonathan nodded at the library. "Let's get going. It's going to be dark out by the time we're done."

Brynn's eyes found the sun retreating in the sky and nodded. As they climbed the steps, a smug smile had formed on her lips.

"What's so funny?" Jonathan casually asked.

"Nothing," she lied. She was just surprised by how much she had managed to get the kid to open up. He was bearable when they were getting along. Almost likable.

Whatever door to Jonathan's thoughts had been opened was slammed shut as they entered the library. His easy-going, laid back posture had disappeared and was replaced with an uptight stance. No further information about him was handed to Brynn. She sighed. Jonathan was like a thousand-piece jigsaw puzzle and she had only been granted a handful of pieces to put him all together.

Jonathan led her to the second floor, down a few aisles, and to the Psychology section. His eyes briefly glanced at the bindings of books as he pulled them off shelves and handed them to Brynn. More and more books were handed to her until her arms began to ache.

Brynn shied away as a menacing 600 page volume was about to be placed on the pile. "You can carry that one."

They found a deserted table by the window and sat. Jonathan began to organize the books, muttering the titles to himself as he went.

Brynn leafed through a dog-eared copy on Schizophrenia. "Planning on keeping me here all night?"

"You need to know the basics," he absently replied as he added another book to the pile. The slightest breeze would send the mountain-high stack of books plummeting down on them.

The pile blocked Jonathan from her view. She leaned to the side to see him as she spoke. "Yeah, I get that. But is all of _this _necessary?" She gestured wildly at the stack.

Jonathan leaned to the side. "What's your grade in Psychology?"

"What?"

He rolled his eyes. "What's your grade, Brynn?"

"Umm," Brynn said lowly. She pulled at a loose string on her shirt. "You know…a D…plus…"

He snorted when she mentioned the plus. "Semester exams are less than a month away. How are you planning on pulling that up and passing the course?"

Outside, a car horn blared several times. Brynn bit her lip. "Well…"

"Exactly," Jonathan interrupted. "If you want to pass the exam, you're going to need to know as much information as possible. With that said, let's cover the basics."

For the next forty-five minutes, Brynn paid close attention as Jonathan thoroughly explained the topics to her. He went into depth on Schizophrenia and Bipolar disorder, explaining how it affected the mind and what drugs were used to help it. He listed off types of anxiety disorders with no problem. All the information was stored in his head, making him a walking, talking human text book.

Jonathan flipped the page and underlined the title at the top. _Phobias, _it read.

"Phobias are fears of everyday things that pose little to no threats," he explained. "People with phobias experience panic, trembling, and shortness of breath. A common phobia is claustrophobia."

Brynn covered her mouth as she yawned. Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes. "What do you mean 'little to no threats?' What if you're afraid of alligators? Alligators are pretty threatening if you ask me."

"Are you going to find an alligator in Gotham?" he asked flatly. "If you're not bothering the alligator, they will not harm you. As a matter of fact, alligators rarely attack—"

"Okay, that's nice," Brynn interrupted.

Jonathan gave her a stink-eye. "Tell me what you're afraid of."

"What I'm afraid of?" Brynn asked. She shrugged. "I don't know."

"You're scared of something," he said as he leaned forward. He rested his chin on his clasped hands. "Tell me."

Brynn paused to think of something. She wasn't sure what the point of him asking was, but she listed them off anyway. "Hmm…blood—"

"Hemophobia," Jonathan swiftly answered.

She stared at him, impressed. "Guns."

"Hoplophobia."

Clearly, he knew his phobias. Brynn paused as she tried to think of something to throw him off. "Thunder storms."

"Ceraunophobia," he replied, the ghost of a smirk itching to be freed on his face.

"Ghosts and all things supernatural."

"Phasmophobia."

"Cemeteries—"

"_Taphophobia_."

Brynn slammed her palms down on the table. "_Otters!"_

His mouth opened, his eyes smug, and a tiny sound came out. Jonathan paused. His eyes lost their smug gleam and his eyebrows furrowed. "_Otters_?"

"Yes, otters," Brynn said with a triumphant smile on her face.

"How on earth are you afraid of otters?" Jonathan exclaimed.

"What's the phobia name?" Brynn teased.

Jonathan's lips pursed as he thought of what the name might be. Triumph surged through Brynn's veins. _She _had the stumped the genius. The grin on her face grew wider as Jonathan's frown deepened.

"Lutraphobia," Jonathan growled after a while.

"You sure?" Brynn teased.

"Positive," he spat out.

Brynn leaned back in her chair and gave herself a mental pat on the back. _Brynn-1, Jonathan-0. _

Jonathan tidied the table and shoved his books back in his bag. "It's getting late. We'd better leave if we want to catch the next bus."

Outside, the sky had turned a deep shade of indigo. The crowds on the sidewalk had slightly thinned out. Brynn followed Jonathan down the sidewalk, her breath coming out in tiny puffs before her face. Her eyes found the towering skyscrapers to her left in the financial district. Wayne Tower was the tallest and most magnificent of the buildings. Behind it was the Rhodes Tower where her father's company was located. She remembered coming to visit him at work with her mother and staring down at the bustling streets from the top floor, her nose pressed to the glass.

Jonathan turned down a street and walked towards the crosswalk. On the opposite side was the bus stop. Brynn hurried past Jonathan, the cold air biting into her skin. Down the street, a black SUV was driving towards them.

The moment her foot met the street, the driver of the vehicle sped up. Brynn paused, her eyes widened in horror as the vehicle barreled down on her. At the last second, a shout came from behind her, grabbed her by the arms and pulled her back.

For a brief second, she was falling, a pair of hands gripping her arms, pulling her down with them. With a thud, they ended up on the sidewalk. Brynn remained in a confused daze for several seconds before realizing she was partially sitting on Jonathan Crane's lap.

With great effort she rolled over and lied on her stomach, her forehead pressed to the pavement. "Fucking _hell_," she muttered. "Are we dead?"

Jonathan was on his back, his glasses slanted, and his hair ruffled. He propped himself up on his elbows and stared down the street. The SUV had vanished.

Her legs shook tremendously as she tried to pull herself up. The heels of her hands had been scratched and stained crimson. An angry burning accompanied the marred flesh.

"Dammit," she hissed.

Jonathan licked his cracked lips as he stood. "Are you alright?"

"Dandy," she replied as she wiped the blood on her pants. "Fan-fucking-tastic."

"You're bleeding," he pointed out.

"No dip, Sherlock."

Jonathan ignored the insult and walked a few feet down the street. His eyes stared in the distance, searching for the culprit. Slowly, he shook his head and let out a low chuckle.

"What?" Brynn demanded.

He faced her, an incredulous look in his eyes. "Call me crazy, but I'm positive I've seen that car several times in the last few weeks."

"Alright," Brynn said slowly. "You're crazy. There are a lot of black cars in the city. As well as bad drivers who drive big, black cars."

Jonathan shook his head again. They stood there silently for a few moments. On the other side of the street, the bus was coming to a halt.

"Come on," Jonathan said as he jogged to the bus.

Brynn looked both ways, afraid the driver would be coming back in reverse to finish the job. She quickly ran over the crosswalk and onto the sidewalk.

"Hey," she called after Jonathan as he was boarding the bus. "What's the name of the phobia of cars?"

"Motorphobia," he replied.

"Awesome," Brynn mumbled. "Looks like I'm _motorphobic."_

**. . .**

Jonathan sat silently next to Brynn on the ride home. The bus made questionable noises as they drove through the city and bounced over potholes. Brynn was scratching the dried blood off her palms and mumbling about bad drivers.

His earlier statement about seeing the vehicle before had been bothering him since they boarded the bus. Jonathan was _positive _he had seen the SUV lurking around Gotham's campus. It was always parked closed to a building or shrubbery as though it was watching for something. The tinted windows made it difficult to see inside—not that Jonathan had ever tried to peer through its windows. Even if he wanted to, it would be too difficult. The vehicle only remained in the spot for a few seconds.

Maybe Brynn was right. Maybe he was overreacting. Stress had that sort of effect on him.

The bus halted and Brynn rose from their seat. They hopped off the bus and walked towards the dorm buildings. Orange light poured onto the sidewalks from the overhead street lamps. An arguing couple stood outside a restaurant, their hushed voices furious. Brynn's shoes clapped against the sidewalk, echoing in the quiet night.

The car came back to mind. Now that Jonathan thought about it, he had only seen the car at certain points in time. Like when he was leaving class. Or after tutoring Brynn. His eyebrows furrowed. The only time the car ever appeared was when Brynn was around.

"Thanks for your help," Brynn's voice interrupted his thoughts. They stood in front of a brick building with ivy creeping up the front. The lamp next to the front door hummed quietly.

"Yeah…no problem," Jonathan replied, his voice strained. Brynn gave him a funny look.

"You okay?" she asked.

He nodded vigorously. "I'm fine."

A cautious smile formed on her face. "Okay. Goodnight, Jonathan."

"Goodnight, Brynn," he said quietly as she walked into her dorm. Jonathan pivoted on his heel and walked in the direction of his dorm. The wind had picked up and caused his teeth to chatter. Jonathan stuck his fists into his coat pockets and hurried down the sidewalk.

Before entering his dorm building, Jonathan paused, his hand stretched towards the knob. A feeling of being watched settled over him in an icy layer. Slowly, he turned around and examined the area before him. His eyes carefully swept over the landscape, taking in each leaf and every crack in the sidewalk. His eyes paused over a bush to his right. Behind the leaves, he thought he could vaguely make out a figure. Jonathan squinted behind his glasses. Was he being followed?

He looked away and shook his head. He was losing his mind. Whatever he thought was happening was only his imagination.

Jonathan opened the door and stepped into the quiet lobby of Dixie-Wells. The door shut behind him with a bang, locking out all feelings of uncertainty.

**. . . **

**A/N: These chapters are getting longer and longer! Over 6,000 words! :O **

**I hope you guys liked this chapter. For once, I'm pretty happy with how it turned out. There was more interaction between Brynn and Jon and a little more action. I don't know, I just enjoyed writing it. **

**Thank you AlainHotCoco1, Solstice White, ElektraMackenzie, MusicHarryPotterVeeVodkaBatm an, dEnIsE tHe StRaNgE, and ParadoxMagic for reviewing! Thank you everyone who followed/added the story to their alerts. Four for you, reviewers! You go, reviewers!**

**I think some of you were confused in the last chapter, but Professor Mapps did not know that Brynn was Olivia's daughter. He thought Brynn was having a bad day or something so he went to Cadence and she told Mapps about it. Just thought I'd clear that up! It will be brought up in the next chapter. **

**I'm going to try to hurry the pace of the story. We're nearly twenty chapters in and it's only November _ Aye, aye, aye. I'm considering having a time lapse after the Christmas part of the story and instead of writing about January and February, I'll jump into March. I want to have Brynn's freshman year of college finished before summer break. In all honesty, not much happens during freshman year (no that's a lie, stuff happens but all the BIG stuff will start sophomore year). My goal is to have the story finished before I go to college, which won't be for a while since I'm going to be a junior next year but there's A LOT to write about. We all know how school is and I'm signed up for two AP classes next year and then ACT/SAT and service projects and sports and OH MY GOD KILL ME. Gah, I'm so lazy, I hate school. There's also the question if I will continue the story after TDKR but we'll come back to that question later. **

**In all honesty, I don't know when the next update will be. The next chapter is about Brynn's Thanksgiving break and family drama and I'm guessing it's going to be LONG. I leave for spring break on Wednesday and won't be back until the 7****th****. Hopefully, I can get started on it this week and try to write it over break but I'm not sure. Let's plan on the next update being two and half weeks from today. Most likely three. :( **

**Is it just me or has no one been updating their fics lately? I feel deprived. **

**Review, review, review and you shall be granted an otter!**


	19. Chapter 19

It was the first morning of Thanksgiving break and Gotham University's campus felt deserted. Students had fled to the airports, luggage weighing down their arms and making them ache, to catch their flights home. Those native to Gotham honked their car horns in the dense traffic or waited for their family members to pick them up.

Brynn dragged her suitcase down the staircase, the zipper only halfway zipped. Clothes peaked out from the bag, threatening to explode in a colorful disarray and land on the floor. Despite the fact that it was a five-day weekend, Brynn had packed as though she would be running off for weeks. It was a miracle the bag had not yet ripped.

The air was fiercely cold. Snow had been predicted for the upcoming days. The clouds overhead were thick and ready to spill out blankets of snow over the city.

Conrad sat in his car, the engine running, the air warm and inviting. Brynn dumped her bag in the backseat and pulled her green cardigan around her body. She had left her uniform of sweats and t-shirts behind, exchanging them for leggings and sweaters. Her mother would have a fit if she showed up in sweats.

"Cadie's meeting up with us later," Conrad informed her as he shifted the car into drive and rolled into the busy street.

"Ah." She hadn't forgotten the fact that her sister had shared her darkest secret with Professor Mapps. The thought made her cheeks flush with anger. Three times she had tried to call her sister and confront her about it but Cadence was either busy or avoiding her. Probably the latter.

"She said she had some report to finish up for her Chemistry class," he added.

"Mmm."

Conrad turned onto the highway and weaved his way through the lanes. Once in the left lane, he snuck a glance at his sister. "Everything between you guys okay?"

"Dandy," Brynn lied as she turned the nob on the radio.

Conrad muted the static that screamed out. "You're an awful liar, you know that?"

"I'm not lying."

"You're messing with your hair."

Her hands dropped into her lap.

"Come on, Bee. What's up?" Conrad's serious voice asked.

She wanted to tell him. She wanted to lash out at her sister for telling and have someone at her side to support her. But she knew Conrad would only chide her and be the peacemaker in the mess. So she kept her mouth shut and plastered on a well-practiced grin.

"I'm fine. Really. College has just been stressing me out, you know?"

He stared at her for a second longer before nodding and dropping it. Brynn kept her hands under her thighs for the rest of the ride so they wouldn't tangle in her hair and expose her anxiety. Drowning Conrad in her problems would do her no good.

Brynn had learned over the years not to whine about certain things. True, she would often complain about homework or classmates or other silly things. People didn't mind hearing about those things. That was expected from a teenage girl. What no one wanted to hear about were her memories of foster care or Olivia Rivers or any of those other miseries from her faraway life. They only made people feel bad about their own lives. "Sorry you had such a shitty life but don't bring me down with you," their guarded eyes would say. They could give her reassuring smiles and pats on the back but she could always see that gleam in their eyes. _Poor, little, psychopath's daughter_… So for their sake, she kept that stupid fake grin, shrugged everything from her past life off, and gave them a big thumbs up. _I'm okay, world! Don't worry about me. I won't turn into a basket case, I'll be whatever you need me to be! _It was easier that way.

There were moments when she could feel her protective shell cracking, waiting to spill her out in an emotional mess. She could only hope that she would have the lady-balls to deal with it…

The ride out of the city and into the suburbs was spent in silence. Conrad pulled off the highway and drove through the town. It had been months since she had last driven through here. Everything looked the same, but felt different, almost foreign. It was like seeing cousins you saw once a year at Christmas. They were still your cousins, but so different from the last time you saw them. The same red-brick shops lined the main street, their windows decorated with signs offering their services. People lined the streets on either side, talking to one another. Brynn recognized one woman who lived down the street from her home. The car drove up the hill, past the elementary school and into the neighborhoods.

Ten minutes later, they were turning into the long drive that led to their house. Brynn eagerly pressed her face to the glass, taking in the naked trees and vast acres. Conrad parked the car in front of the Kiley mansion and hopped out. Brynn took a few extra moments to admire her home and drink in its image.

Reluctantly, she went inside. As expected, the house was full of smells and the help was rushing around, busying themselves. Conrad had disappeared. Her parents were most likely still at work and would not be returning until later on. Dropping her heavy luggage to the floor, Brynn dragged her feet up the stairs and disappeared in her room for the majority of the day.

**. . . **

"I haven't been home for _five minutes _and you've already found something to criticize me for!"

Brynn cringed as Cadence's shouts drifted into her room. It was followed by her mother's harsh voice.

"We wouldn't have this problem if you could be punctual, Cadence," Madelynn Kiley shouted. "I specifically told you to be here three hours ago."

Heavy footsteps stomped up the staircase. Their voices were closer. Brynn buried her face in her pillow, not wanting to hear this argument.

"I had a project, _Mother_. Sorry I can't just drop everything and run home whenever you want me!"

"That's no way to speak to me. You should show me some respect. You're lucky I even invited you home. I knew you would throw a fit like this," Madelynn shot back.

A harsh laugh rattled the door. "Oh, I'm sorry, I forgot what a disgrace I am to you, Mother." Her footsteps grew louder. "You are_ infuriating_. I come home late to finish schoolwork and you're about to explode. Brynn comes home late from a party and you're all hugs and kisses!"

_Don't bring me into this! _Brynn gulped and busied her fingers with the frayed blanket covering her.

"At least your sister isn't a constant pain in my side!"

Cadence's bedroom door slammed shut, causing the pictures on Brynn's wall to shake. Her mother pounded on the door for a moment, demanding that her sister come out. After a while, she gave up.

The door to Brynn's room suddenly flung open. All signs of the previous argument had left Madelynn's face, leaving her expression bored with a drop of irritation. Her bird-like eyes swept over her youngest daughter's room.

"You've already trashed your room," she observed. Her nose crinkled with distaste.

"It was like this when I came home," she lied.

"Of course," her mother replied sarcastically. "It's not like I spent three hours cleaning up for you and your siblings."

Brynn shrank under her mother's harsh eyes, willing herself to disappear in thin air. Those were the eyes her mother saved for her coworkers at the law firm she worked at. Madelynn could be scary when she wanted to and at that moment, Brynn was terrified.

"Get out of bed," she snapped. "I need you to come to the store with me since your sister flat-out refused."

Brynn scurried out of bed, her feet tangled in her blanket, and nearly fell over. In a tiny voice, she squeaked, "Okay."

Several minutes later, Brynn walked into the garage and waited for her mother. On the far end was her Ford Explorer, piling up dust.

"Could I bring my car back with me?" Brynn asked once they were pulling out of the garage.

"Back where?"

"To school."

Madelynn snorted. "If you can convince your father."

"Well you guys aren't using it," Brynn muttered.

Madelynn swatted at her. "Feet off the dash," she demanded. "And for good reason. You've done enough damage to that car as it is."

"But—"

"Ask your father," Madelynn put an end to the conversation.

Brynn huffed and sank lower into the seat. The next five days were going to be a _blast_…

"How's school?" her mother asked, ignoring the sour attitude her daughter had fallen into.

"Fine."

"And your grades?"

"Okay."

"Even Psychology?"

"Mmm-hmm."

Madelynn's lips pursed. "Really? Because last time the dean faxed us, you had a D."

"Plus," Brynn added miserably.

The car ahead of them stopped abruptly. Madelynn slammed the breaks and Brynn flew forward, nearly hitting her head on the dash. She groaned as her mother honked the horn and cursed the other driver.

"Idiot," Madelynn growled as they pulled into the grocery store parking lot. "The semester ends in a _month_, Brynn. I suggest you buckle down and start to take life seriously."

"I do," Brynn whined.

"You have yet to prove otherwise. I thought you had a tutor helping you?" Madelynn raised her brows as they walked into the store and headed for the bread aisle.

"I do," she replied again.

"And?"

"And what?"

Madelynn dropped a bag of bread rolls into the cart. "Is she helping you understand the subject?"

"_He_ is…kinda."

"_He_?" Madelynn looked disapprovingly over her shoulder. "Are you two getting work done? Or is there something _else _going on that's preventing you from focusing?"

"_Ew, _no!" Brynn exclaimed. "He's just tutoring me, that's all!"

"Well your grade hasn't improved," Madelynn snapped. Cadence had really put her in a bad mood. She usually didn't nag Brynn like this. "Your father and I are paying a ridiculous amount of money for him to tutor you and there has been _no _progress—"

"Mom," Brynn warned. She massaged her temples, willing the headache to subside. "My grade will be up before the semester ends. Cross my heart and hope to die."

"If you say so," Madelynn finally dropped the matter. "Or else your father will be the one burying you. He's less than pleased about the fact that you're bound to get anything below a B."

Brynn grumbled something unintelligent and helped load the cart with more food. She was going to have to double the amount of time she spent studying if she wanted to get her D to a C.

As they turned into another aisle, their cart collided with another woman's. Madelynn opened her mouth to apologize, then froze when she saw who it was.

"I'm so sorry," Adele Worley apologized as she scooted her cart back. "Hello, Madelynn. Brynn."

"Hey," Brynn replied cheerfully, glad to see the other woman.

"Adele," Madelynn greeted, giving her a stiff smile.

Adele either didn't notice the icy look she was receiving or chose to ignore. A care-free smile lightened her face, her nose and eyes crinkling. "Last minute shopping?"

"Yes."

Brynn rolled her eyes at her mother's rudeness and took over the situation. "Are you celebrating Thanksgiving, Adele?"

The older woman shrugged her shoulders. "Not necessarily. I'll probably just spend it by myself or attend a work party."

Brynn frowned. "You could join us. We have enough room for one more—"

"Oh, I don't know, Brynn," Madelynn interjected.

Brynn shot her mother a chiding look. "We'd love to have you."

Adele had caught on to Madelynn's disapproval of the idea. "Thank you for the invite, Brynn, but I really do not want to intrude. Maybe we could get together after the holidays sometime for a light lunch?"

"Sure," Brynn replied, trying to keep the giddy smile off her face.

Adele rolled her cart past them. "I'll be in touch. _Ciao_."

Once she was out of sight, Madelynn pulled her daughter down the aisle. "Didn't I tell you not to fraternize with her?"

Brynn pretended to study the nutrition facts on a box of cookies. The look her mother was giving her was enough to make the crazies in Arkham cringe. "I don't see what the big deal is."

"I don't want you hanging around her," Madelynn scolded, her voice cold as ice. "Look at me when I speak to you."

Brynn gingerly looked at her mother, trying to keep the nervousness off her face. She really hated when her mother threw her those glares. A knot began to form in her stomach, filling her with a type of fear she hadn't felt in ages. Fear of her parents disowning her and sending her back to foster care.

"You will not hang around her. Adele Worley is nothing but trouble and will give you a bad reputation. I'm surprised your father's even considered doing business with her," she said to herself. Her eyes went back to Brynn. "Do you understand?"

Brynn gulped. "Yes."

A closed-mouth smile replaced the grimace on her mother's face. Approval flashed in her eyes. Brynn would be okay. She wouldn't see the dark walls and menacing foster parents anytime soon. They couldn't get her here. She would be safe.

Madelynn pushed the cart down the aisle. "Let's finish this up."

**. . . **

Two days later, Brynn sat at the dining room table for Thanksgiving dinner. The rest of her family was being seated as Ines, the housekeeper, laid down the bowls and plates on the table. George Kiley took the seat at the head of the table and grinned.

"This all looks wonderful," he told Ines, who smiled in return. She disappeared from the dining room to leave them to eat.

George craned his neck to look down the hallway. "Where is your mother?" he mumbled to his children. "Madelynn!"

"Probably skinning puppies," Cadence muttered.

"Cadence," their father warned.

"It's true," she said.

Brynn rolled her eyes at her sister's comment and cut her turkey into pieces. Across the table, Cadence gave her a questioning look. Over the course of the break, Brynn had done her best to avoid her sister, giving her one-worded answers or leaving a room when Cadence would come in. She wasn't sure if her sister had caught on that she was pissed.

Madelynn emerged finally, wearing a sleeveless black dress. Her black hair had been curled and pulled back, her eyes lined. "Sorry for the delay."

"You look nice, Maddie," George told her as she leaned down to kiss his cheek.

"Bleh," Brynn said under her breath.

"Conrad, why don't you say grace for us?"

They said grace and began piling food onto their plates. Their parents took turns asking their children questions about school and such. As expected, Conrad and Cadence had exciting news to share about their accomplishments in life. Conrad had applied for medical school in Metropolis City; Cadence had received praise from the Math Department for her theory on some equation Brynn had never heard of.

"Brynn, anything you'd like to share?" Four pairs of eyes found her face. She immediately blushed.

"Umm…" _Well I haven't received praise from any board and I haven't applied for medical school (nor will I ever). _"I got an A plus on a paper I wrote for Art History."

"Ah," George replied. The proud gleam in his eyes that had been there for her siblings had disappeared. Brynn was about as exciting as a stack of blank pages. "That's good. And how is Psychology going?"

He just _had _to ask that question, didn't he? "It's fine."

"Fine as in your grade is rising?"

She shot him a look. "Sure."

George sighed and took a bite of his mashed potatoes. "Am I going to be pleased when you get your grades for the semester?"

Brynn fiddled with the buttons on her blouse. "Doubtful."

She heard him place his silverware back down on the table. The only thing that could be heard was the sound of chewing. Her siblings watched her father's face for any signs of an approaching lecture. Madelynn paid no mind to what was unraveling and ate her peas. Brynn trained her eyes on her father's set jaw.

"You know how much your mother and I are paying for you to attend college?" he asked quietly.

"A lot?"

"Yes. _A lot. _So to hear that you are just goofing around and not even trying to improve your grades is very upsetting, young lady," her father scolded.

"Sorry," she mumbled.

"Sorry doesn't cut it," he grunted. "I expect more out of you. You're a Kiley. Kileys don't slack off and look for the easy way out."

Brynn sat silently and stared at her napkin. She was surprised her father even considered her to still be a part of the family even though she was such a screw up.

"What about this tutor I've been paying, huh?" George asked.

"What about him?" Brynn asked.

"Well, who is he in the first place? I'd like to know where all my money is going."

Brynn shrugged. "His name's Jonathan."

"And what does this Jonathan do?" he pressed.

Brynn thought for a moment. She took a bite of food and said, "Studies."

The look he gave her made her want to hide under the table. "Are you two an _item?"_

"Oh my God," Brynn finally snapped, irritated beyond belief with her parents. "Why does everyone keep asking me that? No, I'm not dating him and I'm not sleeping with him either, in case anyone was wondering. I hardly know the kid. I'm seeing someone else. That's all."

The chewing had stopped and the room was the kind of silent you'd expect from a church. Her face flushed to fire engine red and she scooped some more peas in her mouth so she wouldn't have to answer any more questions.

"I've met Jonathan," Conrad came to the rescue. He turned to Brynn. "That was the one who…um…flag pole?"

"Yeah," Brynn muttered.

Conrad nodded. "I've met him. He seems like a good kid."

"I'm sorry, did you just say you're seeing someone?" Madelynn interrupted.

Brynn prayed for a fire to erupt in the kitchen or for someone to drive their car through the wall. A distraction was very much needed at the moment. But whoever listened to her prayers or granted her wishes must have been on vacation because no such distraction came.

"Yeah," Brynn said slowly. "I'm seeing a guy…"

"A name would be nice," George muttered.

"Brendan."

"And what does this Brendan do? What is he studying?" Madelynn interrogated.

"Uh…he wants to design video games."

Another awkward pause.

"Huh," her mother said finally.

"Bring him for dinner sometime," George added. "I'd like to meet him."

"I'm sure you would," Brynn muttered.

To her pleasure, the conversation turned away from her and back to Conrad. She silently finished up her food as Conrad shared his experience on the football team.

"Brynn," Cadence said. She motioned for the bowl of biscuits by Brynn's hand.

Brynn pushed them too hard in the direction of her sister. A few rolled out of the basket and onto her sister's lap. Cadence rolled her eyes.

"What's your problem?" she whispered as she wiped the crumbs from her dress.

"I don't have a problem," Brynn whispered back.

Cadence rolled her eyes. "You've been avoiding me the entire time."

"For good reason," Brynn shot back.

Cadence spread butter on her biscuit. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Yeah, you do," Brynn hissed.

"Girls," George interrupted. "Your brother's speaking."

They muttered apologies and shut up for a few minutes. Brynn scowled when she noticed Cadence staring at her.

"Would you _stop?_" Brynn whispered.

"What is _wrong _with you? You've been acting all bipolar ever since we got back!"

"_I'm_ the bipolar one?" Brynn quietly exclaimed. She pressed a hand to her chest and faked surprise. "Okay, Miss I-slam-doors-in-peoples'-faces-and-throw-hissy-fit s-every-five-seconds!"

"I do not!"

"Girls," George snapped. "What is going on with you?"

"Nothing!" they half-shouted at the same time.

George leaned over to Madelynn and whispered something that vaguely sounded like, "Is it that time of the month?" His wife shrugged in return.

"It's nothing, Daddy," Cadence said sweetly.

"_It's nothing, Daddy_," Brynn mocked her sister.

"Would you cut it out?"

"You started it!"

"Girls—"

"I did not!"

"Did, too!"

"_Girls_—"

"You are impossible!"

"You're a bi—"

"_Girls_!" George roared. "What the hell is going on?"

The fingers were pointed at one another immediately. "Cadence told my professor who my mom is!"

"You did _what_?" Madelynn looked accusingly at her elder daughter.

"Brynn cussed him out!" Cadence defended.

"Brynn, you _what?"_ George exclaimed.

She glared at her father. "He was making her sound like a saint and said she was innocent."

"You can't just swear at your professors!"

"We were having a debate and got carried away!"

George groaned and sat back in his chair. He looked at the ceiling, desperate for someone to shoot lightning down and end this argument.

"Cadence, we have been over this hundreds of times," Madelynn growled. "You do not reveal things like that."

Cadence threw her arms in the air, nearly knocking over Conrad's glass. "He came to me and asked what was wrong with her! He was the one who told me she got all hyped up in their conversation about her mom! Had it been about something else I wouldn't have told him."

"Sure," Brynn replied sarcastically.

"I wouldn't have!"

"You just hand out secrets about me like it's Halloween candy!"

"What did you want me to say, Brynn?" she demanded. "My sister's crazy sometimes and flips out on professors like it's no big deal? I was helping you!"

"There it is! Brynn's crazy! Her mom's a murderer!" Brynn shouted at her sister. "There! You've admitted it."

Cadence threw her napkin on her lap and stomped away from the table. Another chair scraped against the hardwood floors and George followed her. Conrad mumbled an excuse about not being hungry and left the table, leaving his mother and sister.

They sat in silence for a few moments. Brynn kept her lips pressed together, trying to fight off the sob that wanted to be freed. She lost the battle and sank into her chair. Brynn bit her thumb in an attempt to keep quiet.

"Come here," her mother sighed after a moment and Brynn obeyed. She sobbed against her mother's chest as she stroked her hair.

"It's her fault," Brynn blubbered.

"I know," Madelynn crooned. "She shouldn't have said anything."

"Not Cadence," Brynn shook her head. "_Her._"

Madelynn nodded, knowing the _her _referred to Brynn's other mother.

"It's that stupid bitch's fault," Brynn sobbed. A loud groan ripped through her body. "I _hate _her."

"Shh," she shushed her. They sat at the table for half an hour before Madelynn sent her to bed. As they walked up the stairs, Brynn repeatedly apologized for ruining Thanksgiving. When they walked past Cadence's room, they could hear her crying and her father speaking soothingly to her.

Sometimes, the house felt like it was split into war zones and everyone had to pick a side.

**. . .**

**A/N: Not my favorite chapter but I wanted to get something published since I haven't updated in a while. This chapter was necessary, though. Brynn and Cadence's relationship is becoming strained and Brynn doesn't trust her anymore. It was already sort of tense between them due to Madelynn playing favorites but they always looked past that. The chapter was sort of filler, I guess. I don't know. I'm still not one hundred percent positive about what a filler chapter is but I think this was it. **

**I love you, reviewers! Thank you ElektraMackenzie, AlainHotCoco1, ParadoxMagic, Shannon, MusicHarryPotterVeeVodkaBatman, and Solstice White for reviewing! Also, a huge thank you to all those who favorite/follow. All I ask is that you guys take the time to review. I feel like the reviews have been dwindling in numbers lately :/ Please tell me if there's something I need to fix or just criticize me or something. I'm kind of losing hope on the story because I feel like I've lost a bunch of my reviewers so any advice is greatly appreciated, even if it's just to trash the story (just kidding, don't do that, I'll cry). But please, please, please leave something! It only takes a minute. Please? :(**

**I think the next chapter is going to be written in Jonathan's POV. What happens next kicks off Jon and Brynn's friendship. I know the past chapters with their tutoring sessions seem like those would have started it but now they're actually going to realize they could get along. I just don't know whose POV I should write it in. Suggestions?**

**HUGE shout out to AlainHotCoco1 for the drawing she sent me of Brynn! It's fabulous :) If anyone wants to see it, I'm sure she'll show you or just ask me. But yes, she's amazing. :)**

**I'm in my last month and a half of school! …which means I'm going to be overwhelmed with schoolwork… Just a warning, I tend to go kind of crazy at the end of the year. Like, pulling my hair out and threatening people with chop sticks. That kind of crazy… So this is my apology in advance if I scare anyone. I have so much stuff I have to do in so little time it's ridiculous. Readers, beware. **

**Remember how I said I would probably have freshman year of the story done before school ended? Haha, yeah just kidding, it's going to take longer than that. *Sighs.* At least I'll have more time to write and update more often. **

**Leave ideas for the story! All are welcome and are usually added so don't be afraid to ask!**

**Alright, well I'll start Chapter 20 now. REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW! :)**


	20. Chapter 20

The sky was changing from indigo to black outside. In this part of the area, there was no pollution or extra lighting and one could see the stars. Jonathan's face pressed against the glass window. He recognized the constellations above him with no problem: The Big Dipper, as well as The Little Dipper; Orion's Belt. He could name them all.

His eyes fluttered shut as the bus drove into the city. His break from school had been less than ideal. Great-grandmother had had a fit two nights before. Under his shirt collar, an angry, red gash as long as his middle finger marred his skin , a reminder from the elderly woman what a low-life he was.

"Demon spawn," she had hissed before chucking the glass vase at his chest. After it had shattered, he had been forced to clean it up, the blood dripping from the glass shards protruding from his skin. For someone so old, she still had an arm…

As much as he hated the university, Jonathan could say he was relieved to be back. It offered him an ounce of freedom, as well as a sliver of protection. For now, he would take it gratefully.

The bus rolled to a halt, waking him from his brief slumber. He wiped his eyes with the heels of his hands and exited the bus. School resumed in the morning and all he wanted to do was sleep for an eternity. Jonathan hardly ever missed class, even when he was sick. The rare occasions when he did were due to his great-grandmother.

Perhaps this one time he would allow himself the pleasure of sleeping in. He had A pluses in all his classes and really did not need to worry.

_No, _Jonathan's logic hissed at him. While his logic and needs battled it out, Jonathan shuffled down the sidewalk to his dorm.

There was a porch bench under a row of trees on his right. Sitting on the bench were two men. A cigarette was trapped between the lips of one of the men; a beer was groped in the hand of another. As Jonathan neared them, he realized the men were Griffin and Riley. Dread washed over him. If he turned back now, went another way, he could avoid them.

As though they could smell his fear, the two men looked up. A toothy grin lit up Riley's face. He dropped the cigarette on the ground and stomped it out.

"Jonny," he greeted. "Long time, no see."

**. . . **

Brynn had promised to meet up with Brendan once she had returned from break. The thought of being with him filled her with happiness. After the incident at Thanksgiving, the rest of her break had been spent hiding in her room. No one wanted to see her nor did they want to deal with another battle between the sisters. Conrad had split his time hanging out with each girl. The majority of the afternoon he had spent with her, watching old movies and playing video games. Conrad really was the peacemaker of the family.

Brynn turned left on the sidewalk that led to her boyfriend's dorm. Her steps were light and giddy. She hadn't realized how much she had missed Brendan while she was gone.

She turned again and slowed her steps. Toward the end of the road were three men. Brynn stayed close to the shadows, unsure of whether their intentions were innocent or sinister. As she neared them, she realized one of the men had his arms wrapped tightly around another man, restraining him from movement. The third man repeatedly punched the incarcerated man in the stomach. Brynn could hear his muffled groans.

"Stupid faggot," the punching man grunted. Another blow to the gut. "You're a piece of shit, you know that?"

The voice sounded familiar. Brynn tiptoed closer. The one being beaten lamely kicked his feet out in an attempt to protect himself. He was hit again. A loud whimper could be heard from where she stood.

"Shit," Brynn whispered when she realized who these people were.

Riley punched Jonathan in the stomach again. He gagged and squirmed against Griffin's restraining arms. In return, Griffin pulled Jonathan's shirt collar back and _bit _him on the shoulder. Jonathan screamed louder than she ever would have imagined possible.

Something ran through her veins. Adrenaline was there but something else. It wasn't fear nor was it anger. More like red-hot fury wrapped in sinister intentions.

"YO, DICKHOLES!"

Griffin and Riley's heads snapped in her direction. Griffin dumped Jonathan on the ground where he moaned in pain and clutched his stomach. Instantly, she regretted her choice of words and how loud she had screamed them. Common sense begged her to turn and sprint. Brynn gulped. It was too late to leave now.

"Brynn, so nice of you to join us!" Riley exclaimed. He cracked his knuckles and licked his lips. "You're going to have to wait your turn. We're finishing up with Jonny so we'll be with you shortly."

"F-fuck off, O'Donaghue," she said through gritted teeth, hoping they wouldn't hear her voice shake.

Riley _tsk_ed. "You're not very lady like, you know that? Insulting us, giving customers at All-Stars head. You're a real piece of work, baby girl."

"Call me that again and I'll cut your balls off with a butter knife," she threatened. _Run, _her instincts screamed.

The two of them laughed. Griffin stepped forward and shoved her. Brynn fell back against the bench, knocking her head against it. The edges of her vision blackened for a few seconds.

"Wait your turn," Riley chided. "We'll be with you in a moment."

They pulled Jonathan back to his feet, the punching resuming. Brynn looked around wildly. If she ran, she'd be leaving the poor kid behind and probably wouldn't be able to outrun these goons. Fighting was out of the picture. She was 5'5" with practically no muscle. The two of them had to be at least 6'3". Her eyes looked for something she could use to defend herself. Unfortunately, no one had dropped any knives, pepper spray, or stun guns so her options were running out.

Out of the corner of her eyes, a long green rope caught her attention. No, not a rope; a hose. Maybe if she could reach it, she could spray them. It would be a distraction and possibly buy her and Jonathan a few seconds to run. She just had to get closer to it…

Riley and Griffin were too occupied with beating Jonathan. She scooted down the bench and stretched her leg. Her foot found the rubber hose and she dragged it towards her. Brynn gritted her teeth as Jonathan's yelps and cries grew louder.

Quickly, she ducked down and snatched it up. She fiddled with it, praying that her idea would work. She turned the head and squeezed the nozzle.

_Psssssssh. _

Riley stumbled back, surprised by the strong current of water that had just been sprayed in his face. Brynn was more stunned than he was. She hadn't expected the water to come out _that_ violently.

She aimed at Griffin and sprayed him as well. He bent over, his eyes squeezed shut and cursed. Jonathan fell to the ground in the process.

"You little bi—"

_Psssssssh. _

The key was to aim for their eyes. It left them momentarily blind, discombobulated, and distracted. She also figured that water spraying out this hard hurt like a bitch.

"Get her—eeeeeck!" Riley exclaimed.

Griffin took a step forward but was quickly sprayed again. "Shit, it's cold!"

Riley blindly punched at his friend. "Come on!" He grabbed him by the collar and pulled him away. He turned back to Brynn. "We'll be back for you, you little—_ahhh, shit_!"

They scurried off. A triumphant grin grew on her face. _One for me, negative one hundred for them!_ Her joy was quickly forgotten when she heard Jonathan groan.

Now came the hard part.

Brynn inched closer to the moaning boy and stood over him awkwardly. He lied in the fetal position in a puddle. His lip was busted open as well as the skin above his left eyebrow. Nasty bruises were forming on his cheeks and neck. Brynn wasn't sure if he realized she was there or wanted her to go away.

"Jonathan?" Brynn gingerly said. She gently poked him in the side with her shoe.

He lifted one eyelid and stared at her. His glasses lay a few feet away from him, the lenses cracked. Another groan ripped through his mouth.

"Do you want me to call someone?" Brynn asked, unsure of what to say. "Like, 911?"

"No," he managed to gasp out. "Don't…call…"

"Jonathan, I think you're dying," she said slowly. "I'm kind of obligated to call 911…"

"No!" he snapped. With great effort, he pulled himself to a sitting position. "I'm fine. Honestly."

"Can I at least take you somewhere to get checked up? For instance, _the_ _ER_."

"Brynn, I'm fine," he growled.

She grew irritated with him. "For your information, your face is fifty shades of nasty bruises right now. I may be no doctor, but I'm pretty sure you need medical attention."

Excruciatingly slowly, he pulled himself to his feet. His legs shook violently. The look he gave her was threatening. "_I'm fine." _

She raised her palms in defeat. "If you say so."

Jonathan nodded and turned to walk to his dorm. Brynn frowned.

"Other direction."

He turned towards the grass.

"Oh my God, I'm walking you home," she snapped. Brynn grabbed him by the arm and led him to his dorm.

"Not so fast," he pleaded. The younger boy was too exhausted to fight her grip from his arm. Brynn swallowed when he leaned against her arm for support.

"Sorry," she apologized. She held three fingers out in front of her. "How many fingers am I holding up?"

"Three," he answered exasperatedly.

"What's your name?"

"Jonathan Crane."

"How many bones are in the body?"

"206."

"I actually have no idea, but that sounds about right."

"Babies are born with 350 but they fuse together over time," he added.

Brynn nodded. "Good to know. I think you're clear for a concussion."

"You don't even know the signs for a concussion."

Brynn snorted. He would be alright.

They arrived at his dorm and Brynn practically had to drag him up the stairs. She waited patiently as he unlocked the door to his room and followed him inside.

"What are you doing?" he asked suspiciously.

"Relax. You're such a prude." Brynn grimaced. "Shit. You look horrible. Sit down."

He sat down on his bed and Brynn disappeared into the bathroom. "Where are your washcloths?"

"Under the sink," he called back.

Brynn came back a moment later with a damp washcloth. She folded it neatly and handed it to Jonathan. He pressed it against his forehead and sighed.

"Do you have any ice?" she asked.

"Why?"

"You're going to want to put ice on that to keep the swelling down."

He glared at her. "When did you become a doctor?"

She motioned to the mini fridge by his desk. "Is there ice in there?"

"No."

Brynn opened it and examined the contents. No ice. She reached towards the back and pulled out two cans of soda.

"Put this on your face," she instructed. Jonathan pressed the cold can against his cheek.

"Why do I need two?" he asked.

"You don't," Brynn replied. She opened it and took a swig. "I'm thirsty."

He glowered at her. "I don't remember inviting you here to drink my soda."

Brynn sat on the opposite twin bed and took another sip. "I just saved your ass. The least you could do is let me have a soda."

"I had it under control."

"_Ha. _You said that last time I found you getting your ass stomped on. You were close to _tears _when I found you."

They sat silently for a moment. Brynn's eyes examined his room. There were no pictures or decorations hung up. The floor was clean of trash and the bed she sat on was made. Books were piled in every corner of the room.

"Where's your roommate?" Brynn asked, ending the tense silence between them.

"I live by myself."

"Oh."

Jonathan gestured to her. "What's with the outfit?"

Brynn looked down at her skirt and blazer. "What about it?"

"You're not wearing sweats," he answered. "You always wear sweats."

"I'm supposed to see Brendan," she replied.

"Pirate Brendan?"

She nodded in reply and took another sip.

"How's your stomach?" Brynn asked after a moment.

"Sore."

"I can imagine. And your shoulder?"

Jonathan glanced at the shoulder Griffin had bitten. A red stain had blossomed amongst the white fabric. Jonathan unbuttoned a few of the buttons on his shirt and pulled it back a bit. He inhaled sharply when he saw it. Brynn nearly gagged.

"Ew. Blood," Brynn averted her eyes and trained them on a stack of books.

"That savage," Jonathan hissed.

"You should report them to the police," Brynn suggested.

Jonathan snorted. "It would just anger them even more."

Brynn sighed. Why was he so impossible when this stuff happened? Did he enjoy being beaten to a pulp or something? "I'm serious, Jonathan. Those guys have at least a hundred pounds and several inches on you. You think tonight was bad? I'm sure they could do worse."

Jonathan made a popping noise with his lips. "Yes, well, there's not much I can do, is there? I can only hope they'll get bored with me. I suggest you watch your back. That hose stunt left them rather bitter."

Brynn stood and began to pace the room. "If you need me to, I can ask Conrad to deal with them."

"Brynn, _no_."

She stared him down. He returned her glare with his unwavering eyes. "Do you have a death wish or something?"

She had expected him to say no and tell her she was being ridiculous. Instead, he broke the eye contact between them and stared at the unopened can of soda in his hands. Brynn scoffed.

"You're crazy," she muttered. With one last swig, she finished the drink and headed for the door. "Good luck dealing with them next time."

Brynn slammed it shut behind her and was gone. Jonathan sat in silence, the perspiration from the can dampening his fingers. Every centimeter of his body screamed with pain. The bite mark on his shoulder would scar.

Jonathan lied down on his bed. He unbuckled his belt and kicked his pants off. Gingerly, he unbuttoned his shirt and threw that on the ground as well.

He hissed when he saw the damage on his stomach. The skin was a hideous shade of purple. His eyes traveled to the angry bite mark and then to the gash left by his grandmother. So much damage in so little time.

He lied on his side and was taking deep breaths, trying to fight off the knot forming in his throat. How much more of this would he have to endure? He didn't think he could handle much more. Jonathan was…breaking.

Was Brynn right? Did he have a death wish? Death would be so much easier than this. If he did it himself, it'd be swift. No one would miss him so it wasn't like he'd be hurting anyone by doing it. He squeezed his eyes shut and pressed his legs against his bare chest.

**. . . **

Days passed since Jonathan was attacked. His bruises were still a shade of purple but not as intense as when he first received them. Green was beginning to show around the edges. He had a limp when he walked which was very inconvenient. The night after the brawl, he had walked into Psychology class with _a minute to spare_. Things like that never happened to Jonathan.

It was early morning and Jonathan's stomach grumbled angrily. He pushed the doors of the cafeteria open, a wreath blocking his view of the inside. The fact that the university was willing to spend money on useless Christmas decorations but not on new text books was sickening. Christmas was an overrated holiday that only fools celebrated.

Jonathan went through the breakfast line, buying two apples and a cup of coffee for breakfast. He was pleased to see that the cafeteria was fairly empty. Most students skipped the first meal of the day to sleep in. Jonathan took this time as an opportunity for people watching.

He found a discreet table by the trashcans and sat down. Jonathan took a sip of his coffee and grimaced, the hot liquid burning his tongue. He put it off to the side to cool off and started on his first apple.

When people watching, Jonathan preferred to have some knowledge of his subjects. A name was necessary when recording observations. Things such as character traits, hobbies, and pasts were helpful as well. Recording his observations back in high school had been fairly easy. He had grown up with most of his fellow classmates and could give at least some information about everyone. Now he usually stuck with people who were in his lectures or those who had graduated from high school with him.

Jonathan settled on a lanky blonde girl who played on the tennis team. She sleepily stared at her breakfast, swirling her spoon around in her bowl of oatmeal. Within minutes, Jonathan was bored. Early morning wasn't exactly the best time to people watch. Everyone was about as fascinating as a potato.

A group walked through the doors, drawing some attention. They were rather rowdy and rambunctious this early in the morning, laughing at a joke that had been made. Jonathan's eyes trailed to them. He recognized them all. Dominic Langston led the pack, his back to Jonathan, his arms spread wide. Terrence Wheeler threw his head back and laughed loudly. Sydney, the illiterate girl, sashayed past a table of soccer players, her hips swaying seductively. Following them were Brynn and Brendan. His arm was wrapped around her shoulders, pulling her close. He leaned down and whispered something in her ear. Brynn immediately bit her lip and smiled.

Jonathan crossed off the name of the tennis player. He had some more interesting subjects to observe.

They sat near the vending machines on the opposite side of the cafeteria. Jonathan mentally crossed off each one. No for Sydney. No for Brendan. No…no…

Brynn, then. He started on a fresh sheet, writing her name at the top.

_December 3__rd__, 1994_

_Subject Name: Brynn Kiley_

_Occupation: Student_

Jonathan looked up again and began to take in other details. The 'pirate's' arm was still wrapped around her shoulders and she leaned into his body. Someone cracked another joke causing her to explode with laughter. From where he was sitting, he could hear her _ahahaha!_

_Mood: Lively, content, peppy_

She was caught up in something being said. Her eyebrows were slightly raised, her lips parted. By the looks of it, she seemed disbelieving, shocked, and pleased at the same time. After a moment, she sat back and shrugged, a smirk forming on her lips. She adjusted the white headband in her hair and turned to Brendan again.

_Subject is rather cheerful this morning. I assume it's because of the presence of her "crowd." A member of this crowd would be Brendan Webster, subject's current fling. To my knowledge, they have been together for nearly a month now. Whenever in his presence, subject is light, giddy, and flirty. _

Jonathan's pen paused over the last word. He considered crossing it out. After a moment's debate, he decided to leave it.

Jonathan adjusted the glasses he had recently purchased. He reached for his coffee and took another sip. He carefully watched Brynn and Brendan. Jonathan wished he knew what they were discussing. Brynn was completely engrossed by whatever it was he was saying. They sat next to each other, their noses inches apart. Brynn was biting her lip again, absorbed by his words.

"Some poet he is," Jonathan muttered into his coffee cup. He looked up again and nearly choked on the hot liquid.

Brendan had inched closer, his lips a breath away from hers. Brynn stared down at his lips, her eyes shaded by her eyelids. He slowly leaned in and kissed her. Jonathan watched as her chest suddenly rose with the sharp inhale she had taken. Her eyes were closed, her lips tightly sealed against his.

Jonathan, for some reason, couldn't look away.

Not because he was a pervert. He was just fascinated by how this guy who dressed like a pirate on some silly holiday had managed to infatuate her. She was completely under his spell. What was it that she saw in him that made her behave this way?

The kiss ended as soon as it began. Brynn threw her head back and laughed at some obscenity Dominic had uttered. It must have been about the kiss because a mischievous smirk filled her face. Jonathan chewed on his coffee cup.

He wasn't a big fan of romance. It was a useless feeling that usually ended in disaster. Judgment was clouded by the emotion, making a person unreasonable. People did foolish things when under Cupid's spell. Jonathan had promised himself a long time ago to never let any girl put him under their charm, turning him into a puddle of emotions like his peers.

Brynn found Jonathan's eyes suddenly. Embarrassed, Jonathan's head snapped down to stare at the empty contents of his coffee cup. He looked up a few minutes later. Her attention was back to Brendan.

**. . . **

"Quiz tomorrow," Mapps announced as he turned the projector off. "For the remainder of the period, answer questions one through five on page 234. You may work with a partner if you wish."

Brynn instantly swiveled in her seat to face Jonathan. "Partner?"

"No," he rejected her. His pen scribbled an answer in his notebook.

Brynn pouted. "Why not?"

"You're just going to copy my answers."

"Am not," Brynn lied. She scooted her seat closer to his and read the answers over his shoulder. "We'll split the work. I'll do the last two if you do the first three."

He grumbled in response. Brynn took that as a yes and read the fourth question. Her pen cap was chewed on mercilessly as she read it. She had forgotten that the last questions were always the hardest. It was too late to switch now; Jonathan was already starting the third question. Brynn sighed and wrote down something she hoped would make sense.

Brynn finished up the answer to the last question and showed her work to Jonathan.

"Close for number four," he surprised her. "Five doesn't make any sense, though."

She shrugged. "I was close."

"Close isn't going to help you," he argued. He crossed off the sentences she had written and wrote something else.

Brynn sighed and shut her textbook. Discreetly, she examined the bruises on Jonathan's face. The swelling had died down and the coloring of his face was changing colors. The incident hadn't been brought up since she had been in his dorm room.

"So," she slowly began, "how are your, um, injuries?"

Jonathan flinched at the question and busied himself with smoothing out a dog-eared corner in his notebook. "Fine."

"Have _they_ tried to harass you?" Brynn motioned to Riley and Griffin sitting at the top row.

He looked annoyed. "_No_. Can you drop it?"

"Sheesh, _sorry,_" Brynn snapped. "Excuse me for being concerned."

"Well, you shouldn't be. It's none of your concern," Jonathan fired back.

She sneered at him and looked down at her notebook. The little brat hadn't even thanked her for aiding him. That was definitely the last time she helped him in a situation like that.

"Turd," she muttered.

Their professor dismissed them from class after collecting their answers. Students rushed for the elevator and pushed their way through. Brynn opted for the stairs, following behind a group. Jonathan trailed behind her.

"Thank you," Jonathan quietly said out of the blue.

She raised her eye brows. "For?"

"You know what for," he snapped. Jonathan hurried past her and disappeared outside.

She wanted to be angry at his rude demeanor. She wanted him to not be such a brat all the time and learn to be grateful. However, the angry emotions did not come.

Brynn was just glad she had managed to get a "thank you" out of him.

**. . . **

"We could either watch _Ghostbusters_," Brendan held up the video tape for Brynn to see, "or _The Shining. _Which one will it be?"

Brynn shrugged her shoulders. "Hell no to _The Shining. _I'll have nightmares for weeks. _Ghostbusters _got old after the third time."

Brendan threw his head back. "You're killing me, babe."

She giggled. "We could always watch _Sixteen Candles…_"

"Get out," Brendan jokingly pointed to the door.

They snickered, their eyes lighting up with amusement. Brendan dropped onto his bed next to Brynn and wrapped an arm around her.

"We don't _have _to watch a movie," Brendan suggested, wiggling his eyebrows.

She cocked her head to the side. "And what would we do?"

"I think you know," he winked.

"Get out."

"It's my room," he laughed.

"And I'm in charge," she teased, earning a kiss from him. Brynn sighed as his lips pressed against hers. She tangled her hands in his hair, pulling him closer. She was surprised by how things had turned out between them. Brynn hadn't expected more than a second date and here they were. She wasn't in love with him—was it a possibility? Perhaps in the future. She'd never really been in love with a guy and all the times she thought she had, she'd been wrong. For now, Brynn was willing to take things slow and let her affections play out on their own.

He gently pushed her down and crawled on top, his kisses more eager. His lips parted hers, his tongue quickly flicking inside her mouth. The taste of cinnamon flavored gum filled her mouth making her yearn for more. Brynn's hands gripped the front of his t-shirt tightly. A quiet groan came from Brendan as Brynn's lips gently fluttered over his jaw and neck.

Before things could go any further, a ringing noise came from Brendan's pocket. He sighed in frustration and rolled off Brynn.

"Hold on," he muttered as he walked out of his room and into the hallway. Brynn adjusted her shirt, her cheeks flushed bright red, her hair a mess.

He came back a second later, a frown on his face. Brynn pushed herself off the bed and asked, "Is everything alright?"

"Um, my mom called," he answered. Brendan scratched the back of his head. "She's in town visiting some relatives and wanted me to meet up with them."

"Oh." Brynn nodded. "That's great."

"Yeah," Brendan replied, sounding less than enthusiastic.

"Could I meet them?" Brynn asked hopefully.

"Maybe some other time. She's pretty tired right now."

"That's fine," Brynn lied, a smile plastered on her face. "Well, I won't hold you up. See you tomorrow?"

He smiled. "I'll call you."

He leaned down and kissed her before she left. The door shut behind her and Brynn couldn't help but frown. She sulked out of his dorm, upset that their plans never seemed to work out or were interrupted.

As she moped across the campus, she couldn't seem to shake off the feeling of eyes on her back. Brynn glanced around cautiously. In the distance, a couple strolled down the sidewalk. A streetlight flickered and buzzed. Sirens could be heard nearby.

Her breathing hitched in her throat. Brynn's eyes trained in the direction she was headed. She thought she heard footsteps. A quick glance behind her shoulder proved her wrong. Brynn sped up.

By the time she had reached the Campus Green, Brynn had fallen into a pattern of walking then glancing over her shoulder. Walk, glance, walk, glance, walk, glance… She needed to stop wandering around so late at night. Hadn't some girl been abducted from the university last year? Brynn shivered.

The bushes near the sidewalk appeared to shake. Brynn froze and searched for signs of a creeper. What if it was Riley? Or Griffin? They had it out for her after the episode with the hose. What would keep them from doing anything sinister to her when no one else was around?

Another bush on the opposite side shivered slightly. Brynn wheeled around to face it. Her heart thumped wildly. "Very funny, you douchebags," Brynn called, her voice shaking. She was expecting the two boys to appear. Neither emerged.

The silence seemed threatening. Brynn ran the rest of the way to the dorm, alarmed by every sound produced. She didn't slow until she reached her room. The key shook as she attempted to shove it into the lock.

Once inside, Brynn relocked the door and checked to make sure the windows were locked. Sydney wasn't there. She must have been out with some new guy and wouldn't be returning till the early hours of the morning. Brynn paced her room, trying to keep her sanity under control.

"Calm down," she muttered. "It was probably just the wind."

Once her heart had slowed, Brynn distracted herself as best as she could. Her imagination was getting the better of her. Riley and Griffin weren't coming for her, and if they were, she had Conrad to protect her. It wouldn't be a bad idea if she invested in some pepper spray in the meantime.

**. . .**

_Three knocks rattled the door. "Room service," a kind voice chirped from the other side. _

_The maid waited patiently before taking her key and sliding it into the lock. Just as she was about to turn it, the door inched open, surprising her. _

"_Oh, I'm so sorry," she apologized. "I must not have heard you—"_

"_The sign says do not disturb," the man replied quietly. _

_The maid nodded and looked away. "My fault. It won't happen again."_

_He nodded curtly and closed the door in her face. The man leaned against it and closed his eyes. When he opened them, his 'roommate' walked out of the bedroom. _

_Olivia yawned and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. She leaned against the doorframe, only wearing her black underwear and his white button up. "Who was it?"_

"_The help," he muttered in reply. "You'll have to wait till she's off this floor before you can leave."_

"_Told you I shouldn't of spent the night," she said in her sing-song voice. _

_He ran a hand over his jaw, the stubble prickling his palms. "Have."_

"_Huh?"_

"_Shouldn't _have_ not shouldn't _of_," he corrected her. _

_Olivia rolled her eyes. "Grammar Nazi, much?"_

_He shrugged. Olivia walked over to the bar and poured herself a cup of coffee. After taking a sip, she hopped onto the counter and took a seat, her legs swinging. "I could always use the fire escape."_

"_Absolutely not. That would be even more obvious."_

"_How do your other girls typically exit?"_

"_I don't _have _other girls," he told her. "You're the first 'girl.'"_

"_Well, it's either the door or the fire escape." Olivia cocked her head to the side. "Which will it be, Mister?"_

_The man frowned. "I don't like when you call me that. I feel like a pimp."_

"_Then what should I call you?"_

_He walked over to her and placed his hands on her hips. He looked up at her and quietly said, "My name. Charles."_

_Olivia gave him a small smile and ran a hand through his strawberry blonde hair. "Charles is so stuffy. Such a grandfather name. I like Charlie better."_

"_Charlie it is," he agreed. "You know, we could just spend the rest of the day here. Leave when everyone goes to sleep."_

_Olivia lied back on the counter and stretched, the shirt riding up. Charlie's fingers glided over the exposed skin on her stomach. "Some of us have to work, remember? I've got a nine o'clock."_

"_A nine o'clock?"_

"_What we just did but with another guy. A nine o'clock appointment."_

_Charlie frowned. He had momentarily forgotten what her 'occupation' was. "You could be anything else in the world and you choose to be this?"_

_An angry look flashed across her face. "Yeah, well, my options were rather limited at the time. It was either starve to death or open my legs a few times a night."_

"_Okay, I'm sorry," he apologized. He took her hand in his and kissed her knuckles. "Cancel your nine o'clock. I'll take his place."_

"_My rent's not going to pay itself—"_

"_I'll pay," he promised. "Double the amount he was going to."_

_Olivia sat up, debating his offer. Her eyes wandered towards the door, unsure of what to do. Charlie sighed and gently pressed his lips to her neck. He wasn't sure why he wanted her to stay so badly. It wasn't just for the sex. Something about her was alluring and captivating to him. He wanted to know everything about her, down to the last secret. Maybe that's why she had constantly been on his mind for the last few weeks. Maybe that was why he had finally given in and asked her to spend the night with him._

"_Please?" he asked after a kiss. He planted another one. "Please?"_

_Her body relaxed and she gave in. "Only because you're so convincing," she murmured. Charlie grinned against her neck. She wrapped her legs around his waist and allowed him to carry her back to the bedroom._

**. . .**

**A/N: Chapter 20 was up earlier than expected! Yay for updates :) This chapter was enjoyable to write and I had to force myself to stop writing it when it was time for bed haha. I hope you guys liked it. **

**Thank you so much you guys for all the reviews. It means a lot that you guys have taken the time to review the story. They really are helpful and motivating. Thanks to ElektraMackenzie, Solstice White, Serena nightingale, FieryLady36, AlainHotCoco1, Shannon, Guest, elegantbow, and QuidditchKnight for the reviews! Shout out to all you guys who added the story to your alerts! Just please, please, please, please take the time to leave a review. It doesn't have to be long, just a quick comment or so. **

**I'm kind of surprised about your guys' reaction to the Kiley family. I was expecting everyone to say something along the lines of, 'Oh, Cadence was just trying to help,' or 'Brynn shouldn't have acted like such a five year old during the dinner scene.' I hadn't expected you guys to lash out at Cadence! I understand how you guys thought they were a bunch of turds, though. I should probably mention that George isn't some cold-hearted father. He and Brynn will have their disagreements but most of the time they get along just fine. It's only when Brynn's being lazy and not trying in school that he behaves like so. Other than that it was kind of funny to read the reviews and listen to you guys rant about them XD.**

**Feel free to ask questions! I know I say this in every A/N but I will answer anything you guys want to ask whether it be about a chapter, a past chapter, or what's in store for the future. So, my pretties, ask away! **

**Random side note: remember how I said a few A/Ns ago that I imagined older Brynn to look like Darby Stanchfield? I've changed my mind to Isla Fisher. Mainly because she was the only red haired, brown eyed person I could find who bore some resemblance to Brynn. There are some differences between the two but she was as good as it was going to get. I've been changing my mind again and again about this forever haha. Ask MusicHarryPotterVeeVodkaBatman. I'm pretty sure she was ready to bury me with my constant babbling about it. **

**I love you all :) Review, please!**


	21. Chapter 21

Before exams, the "ideal" student spends the week before in preparation for the tests, their eyes glued to the sheet of math equations, their highlighter staining the page yellow. Terms and definitions are memorized like a favorite song, constantly on replay in the student's mind. Their direct attention is on the upcoming exams and only the exams. The sound of a dying rhinoceros would not be able to penetrate their focus.

Brynn, however, was not an ideal student.

She sat on the arm of a chair, a cold beer in one hand, Brendan's hand in the other. His arm was wrapped loosely around her waist, his fingers tapping to the beat of a song against her side. To her right, Dominic sat on a love seat with some sorority girl; to her left, Sydney was on the lap of a member of the debate team. All around them were drunken students speaking loudly over the deep bass and throwing glow sticks at one another.

Needless to say, Brynn and her friends were not too concerned about exams.

She knew she should be—her first exam was bright and early Monday morning whether she liked it or not. Luckily it was her English class. Gotham was weird like that, having the exams for classes going last to first. The exams prior to Psychology Brynn felt confident about. As long as she studied all day Sunday and the night before, she would be okay for Psychology. Or so she hoped.

"Do you want another beer?" Brendan interrupted her thoughts and nodded towards the kitchen.

She shook her head. "I'm good. And no more for you. What is that, number three?"

"Since when do you put limits on alcohol?" he teased. "I'll be fine. I can handle my liquor better than you can."

"That's not what you told me the other night when you were hacking up your digestive system," Brynn fired back. Brendan playfully smacked her arm before heading off for the kitchen.

"I could use another beer." Sydney stood and straightened her red mini skirt. "Save my seat."

Brynn slid into her friend's seat. She watched as Dominic flirted with the sorority girl—Josie or Jocelyn or something like that—and tried not to snort. He was giving her a loud of bull about how he used to save endangered animals in third world countries. Josie/Jocelyn seemed to be falling for it. Her tiny, pink mouth formed an o as she listened with wonder.

"And you know, helping others has really helped me see the light during all this darkness," Dominic said quietly, his hands tangling with hers. "Had it not been for those baby kangaroos, I don't think I ever would have gotten over my addiction."

Brynn nearly sputtered out her beer. So now he was an _addict_? Her body shook with uncontrollable laughter.

"Wow," the girl breathed. "That sounds amazing."

"It really—" Dominic paused after being interrupted by a loud snort. He gave Brynn the stink-eye. "Is something the matter, Brynn?"

"No, just—" she said in between gasps "—trying to catch—my breath."

Dominic made a face at her before turning back to his wide-eyed listener. "Where was I? Oh yes. I spent last summer in Djibouti building orphanages—"

"All he wants to do is get in your _Djibouti_," Brynn exploded with laughter.

The girl made a disgusted noise and stomped off. Dominic's head snapped towards Brynn.

"Seriously?"

"I couldn't resist!"

Dominic scoffed. "You and your perverted jokes. It's a wonder that Brendan hasn't dumped you yet."

Brynn smirked at her friend. "He likes me too much."

"Is that so?" Dominic asked. He leaned back in the seat, his angry expression replaced by his Cheshire cat grin. "And how are my two favorite lovebirds doing?"

Brynn's face flared bright red and she bit her lip. "We're good."

"Are you good or are you _good?"_ Dominic waggled his eyebrows suggestively.

Brynn leaned over to whack his arm. "Shut up!"

Dominic shrugged. "All I'm saying is that it might not be that long before he gets your _Djibouti_."

"You're a perv."

"I thought that was why we were friends? To fire dirty jokes at one another?"

Brynn smiled. "I'm going to get Bren. You want anything from the kitchen?"

"A sandwich would be nice."

"Fuck you," Brynn laughed before leaving the room.

She weaved through the crowded living room and headed for the kitchen. An elbow shot out from the crowd and nailed her in the gut. Brynn grimaced and gave the doer a sour look. The room was packed and moving was made difficult. She squeezed her way through and somehow managed to stumble out of the crowd and into the kitchen.

Shaking her hair out, Brynn examined the kitchen. A few kids lingered around but Brendan was nowhere in sight. Brynn frowned and headed back for the living room.

As she turned to leave, the back door opened and Brendan and Sydney came in. Brendan abruptly stopped when he saw his girlfriend standing there.

"The fridge is right there, you know," Brynn said slowly, taking in each of their faces. Sydney's eyes were clouded over from all the alcohol she had consumed. She stood behind Brendan digging her shoe into the floor.

"Yeah," Brendan replied. "We went outside for some air."

"Air?" Brynn asked, feeling dumbstruck.

"Yeah. Air," he repeated.

She searched his face to tell if he was lying or not. Brendan remained unreadable, his eyes trained on her face, his features relaxed. Only after a moment, did he look away.

Brynn crossed her arms, heat rising to her cheeks. She cocked her head to the side and stared Sydney down. "Not feeling too good, Syd?"

The blonde shook her head, her wild curls bouncing. Her eyes were trained on the floor. She briefly looked up before her eyes darted to the table in the middle of the room.

"Syd?"

"We went outside," her friend mumbled. "I was hot."

"Bet so," Brynn snapped. "You always seem to get hot around boys."

Brynn spun on her heel and stomped through the crowd. She shoved past a group and ignored Dominic's questioning expression. Behind her, she could hear Brendan calling for her but she kept on going, ignoring his voice.

The front door slammed against the wall of the building and Brynn hurried out, receiving a few stares. She nearly wiped out as she walked down the staircase, a fresh coat of ice causing her feet to slide. Brynn grabbed the railing and cursed under her breath.

"Brynn," Brendan called.

She pushed through the gate and trudged down the sidewalk.

"_Brynn_," he called again, annoyance evident in his voice.

"What do you want?" she snapped.

His feet slapped against the pavement, echoing in the night. "What is _up _with you? Where are you going, Brynn?"

She halted and turned to face him. Her eyes were wild, her mouth set in a straight line. "Don't act stupid."

"I'm not."

"Ugh!" Brynn threw her hands in the air and started walking again. "You know _exactly _what I'm talking about."

"I really don't, Brynn!"

A lump had formed in her throat and tears were pricking the corners of her eyes. _Don't you dare_, a voice hissed at her. _Don't you dare let him see you like this. _

"Brynn!"

"You were hooking up with Sydney, weren't you?" Brynn accused, her voice higher than she would have liked.

"_What_? That's crazy!"

"Stop playing stupid," Brynn snapped. She waited at the crosswalk for the white light up person to appear on the screen. Brendan caught her arm when she tried to walk and pulled her back.

"Get. Off," Brynn demanded.

"You seriously think I hooked up with Sydney?" Brendan asked furiously. "We went outside to get some air! She was drunk, I was trying to help her out."

"Helping to get her pants off, I'm sure."

"Brynn, stop it!" he exclaimed. Brendan ran a hand through his hair, frustrated with his girlfriend. "I'm telling you the truth. She was drunk so I took her outside to get some air. You know how Sydney gets when she's drunk. I didn't want her wandering off and ending up in a dumpster!"

Brynn looked away and shook her head. "You're lying, I know you are."

"Why do you think I would hook up with her when I'm dating you?"

Brynn stomped her foot and looked at him desperately. "Because everyone wants to hook up with her! She can't be in the same room with guys without them checking out her ass. It's always like this when I'm with her. Everyone forgets I'm there!"

He took a step back and stared at her for a few seconds. "You must be really insecure if you're this upset about Sydney getting all the attention in life."

"That's not what I'm saying—"

"But it is, Brynn!" Brendan sighed. "Just because you're jealous of Sydney doesn't mean you get to presume that everyone loves her more than you. I wasn't checking her out at that Halloween party. I was checking _you _out and I like you. Hell, I thought my feelings might even be stronger than that but I guess I was wrong."

"So what, you're breaking up with me?"

"No, I'm just fed up with how jealous you get," he said. "I don't know, maybe we need some space."

"That's what breaking up is."

Brendan closed his eyes. "Of all people, you think I'd cheat on you with Sydney? Do you think I have no standards or something? She's the cheapest girl I know."

Had she not been convinced that Sydney and Brendan were up to something, she would have defended her friend. Instead, Brynn stood shivering on a sidewalk, her eyes stinging. In the distance, she could hear Christmas music being played. The cheery tune mixed horribly with her mood and Brynn found herself wanting to crawl in a hole and die.

They stood in silence. Brynn kept her eyes trained on Brendan's ratty Converse shoes, taking in all the scuff marks and loose stitches. Brendan sighed for the seventh time that night.

"I'm going home," he muttered and walked past her. "I'll call you later."

He disappeared. Brynn felt like a puppy that had just been kicked and stared in the direction he had gone with sad eyes. Brendan had been right. She was just overreacting and it must have been her jealousy clouding her judgment. If she could catch up with him, she could apologize but…

He would want space after that fight. Brynn groaned and sulked back to Brighton Hall, wishing she didn't have to deal with all the problems being thrown her way.

**. . .**

Jonathan impatiently waited Sunday morning for Brynn to arrive at the library. The clock ticked loudly and last time he'd checked, she was ten minutes late for their tutoring session. Jonathan sighed and stacked erasers on top of each other out of boredom.

He was debating whether he should get up and leave when she finally arrived. Her book bag dropped on the table with a loud _bang, _sending his eraser monument crumbling to the tabletop.

"Sorry," she muttered as she sat down.

Jonathan motioned to the clock on the wall. "You see that thing over there? It's called a clock. It's very useful, you should invest in one."

He waited for a snide remark to be flung across the table. Brynn remained silent. She organized her text books and study guides, paying no attention to Jonathan.

"At least you're quiet," he said to himself. "It will make my life more bearable."

She stared at him unimpressed.

Excitement flared to life within Jonathan. His blood rushed through his body and a pleasant heat filled him. This would be interesting. He had not observed Brynn when she was in this type of mood before.

"Well, then," Jonathan said in a cheery tone (for him). "Shall we get started?"

Brynn grumbled something unintelligent and opened her textbook. Jonathan discreetly observed her as he opened his own book and took mental notes of her behavior.

"Can you stop?" Brynn said suddenly.

"Stop what?"

"Playing that stupid observation game of yours."

"I'm doing no such thing," Jonathan lied. "And it's not a game."

She scowled at him. "It's annoying and you scare people off because of it."

"You haven't left," Jonathan blurted out. He frowned, confused by his statement. What had that meant?

"Yet," Brynn replied. "But I'll be hightailing it out of here if you keep it up."

Brynn began highlighting sections with her marker, focused on the task at hand. That was odd. It usually took Jonathan twenty minutes of persuasion before she would glimpse at the textbook. Maybe she finally understood how important grades were and was growing into a mature adult?

No, that wasn't it. Brynn was as far from mature as Pluto was from the Sun.

"Here," Jonathan leaned across the table and drew a star next to a specific section on the page. "Read that and then we'll discuss."

While she was busy reading, Jonathan observed her more closely. There were purple half-moons underneath her eyes and her skin was breaking out. A lack of sleep, perhaps? No, Brynn was never this irritable even when she was running on thirty minutes of sleep. Jonathan sighed and chewed on his nails, frustrated by the task at hand.

"Get your eyes off my forehead before I gouge them out," Brynn warned as she read the passage, her eyes sweeping over the page.

"You're angry," Jonathan muttered as his eyes searched hers for an answer.

She looked up at him. "Really? I hadn't realized it was written in Sharpie across my forehead. Must have forgotten to wash it off this morning."

"And sarcastic."

"Would you like a sticker for winning the Creepiest Eighth Grader Award?"

He ignored the insult and continued his observation. "Something happened last night, I presume?"

She averted her eyes.

"I'll take that as a yes," he said. He tapped his chin, the excitement over his experiment taking over and bringing him out of his usual dense personality. "What happened?"

"I'm not talking about this."

Jonathan was on the edge of his seat. He licked his lips. "You're easily irritable today. At first I thought it was a lack of sleep but you're never this bitter—"

"Jonathan," she warned.

"—and usually you whine more when you're sleep deprived. You're also acting your age which is a first. In that case, I'm assuming something happened with your…parents?"

"Jonathan."

"No, no, it was your siblings? Mmm, no…Friends?"

"_Jonathan_."

"That's it! Sydney? Did Sydney do something?" her face turned a deep shade of red and Jonathan nearly laughed, he was so excited. "I'm close, aren't I? Umm…your boyfriend! That's what you're angry about!"

"If you don't shut up in the next second, my foot will be so far up your ass that it comes out of your mouth!" Brynn whisper-screamed.

Jonathan settled down a bit, a triumphant smirk lighting up his face. "What happened between you guys?"

"Since when do you care?" Brynn snarled.

"Did you break up?"

"No!"

"You had a fight, didn't you? You're overly defensive."

"Jonathan Crane, I swear to God—"

"Did he cheat on you?"

The moment the words flew out of his mouth, Brynn lunged across the table and grabbed a fistful of his hair. Jonathan hissed as he was pulled towards her and soon their faces were inches apart. Her breath fogged the lenses of his glasses.

"Listen very carefully," she whispered. "When a girl says 'I don't want to talk about it' then she doesn't want to talk about it. Understood?"

The childlike excitement that had been present earlier had disappeared and was replaced by Jonathan's usual bitterness. His cold blue eyes stared her down. "Let go."

"_Understood_?"

"I get it!"

Brynn released him and he fell back into his seat. Jonathan rubbed his scalp and tried to pat down the lock of hair she had grabbed. It stuck up against his will. Jonathan sighed and cursed himself for not having shorter hair.

Brynn stared at her notebook, guilt overriding the anger. "I'm sorry."

"Apology not accepted," Jonathan snapped.

"You shouldn't have asked about it."

"You shouldn't have pulled my hair out!"

Brynn shrugged. All signs of her foul mood had retreated. She motioned to her book. "Can we get started?"

"As soon as my hair grows back," Jonathan muttered.

She smirked. "High maintenance, are we?"

Jonathan scowled at her before opening his textbook. He could feel Brynn watching him as he organized his belongings and his face reddened. "What?"

"That was out of the blue," she stated.

"Well that's usually what happens when you're bipolar."

She rolled her eyes. "Haha, very funny. That's not what I'm talking about. I mean just now. That…I don't know, whatever emotion you were just experiencing. You were acting like a kid," Brynn explained. "You're likable when you let loose. Except just now. I really hated you for a moment. But any other time would be fine."

"Thank you," he sarcastically replied.

"I'm serious! If you act like that when I'm not in a pissy mood, we could get along better."

"I think I like you better when you're quiet and serious."

Brynn smiled at him. "You're acting like a grump right now."

"Shouldn't you be focusing?"

She rolled her eyes at him and looked down at her worksheet. Jonathan sighed and did the same. For a good hour, they were able to study in silence and concentrate.

Eventually, Jonathan found himself becoming bored with studying. He stopped and stretched in his chair, raising his arms high above his head, and then stretching them out to the sides. Once his body didn't feel as tight, he allowed himself to slouch in his chair and examine his surroundings. The library was more crowded than usual. Students occupied every table and cubicle, their noses buried in their textbooks, coffee cups hovering at their lips. Jonathan smirked. Many of them looked as though they had not slept in days. Jonathan, on the other hand, had been preparing for exams the entire semester. Every night, he would quiz himself over material from all his classes. Now all he had to do was glance over his notes and he would be good to go.

Jonathan's eyes wandered back to Brynn and lingered. The older girl flipped the page and highlighted some more material. Her pen cap was tucked between her lips and her free hand was messing with her earrings. Jonathan's eyes found the thin silver hoop pierced into the top of her ear. Jonathan had always preferred the simple piece over the numerous other studs pierced into her lobe. This one was more practical and he found himself staring at it often. He was hypnotized as he watched Brynn spin the hoop around and around in her ear. Jonathan had the sudden urge to reach across the table and brush his fingers against the hoop.

"I hate exams," Brynn suddenly groaned, bringing Jonathan out of his trance. She pouted. "Can we get together the night before the Psychology exam?"

His tongue was too large for his mouth and he was forced to swallow several times. "Uh, sure," he answered, his voice cracking. Jonathan coughed and tried to recompose himself. "Yes. Of course."

"Great," Brynn told him though she sounded far from enthusiastic. "I'll get this over with and then I'll be out of your hair."

"Until next semester," Jonathan huffed.

Brynn blinked. "I thought I told you?"

"Told me what?"

"I dropped Psychology. I'm not taking it next semester."

Jonathan stared at her, unsure of what to say. All he could manage was, "Oh."

For some strange reason, he felt...disappointed. It had never occurred to him that Brynn might only take the course for one semester and then be done with it. He had just assumed that she would take another semester and he would keep tutoring her. They would meet up in the library, Brynn would whine, Jonathan would be frustrated, and they would continue that cycle. He knew he should be leaping for joy right then. _No more obnoxious dimwits! _However, the disappointment was slowly seeping through him.

"What?" Brynn smirked. "You're not sad are you?"

"Sad?" Jonathan snorted. "I'm relieved."

"Sure you are." Brynn started to pack up her bag. "So I'll see you Thursday night?"

Jonathan slowly nodded. "You know where to find me."

"Awesome." Brynn paused and pointed at his notes. "Would you mind making a copy of that for me?"

He nodded in agreement. Brynn thanked him before leaving. He watched as she disappeared through the library doors. Jonathan remained seated, the odd feeling of disappointment weighing down on him.

**. . . **

Exam week started and Brynn somehow managed to survive her first four exams. She sulked out of Spanish, the weariness finally catching up with her body and making her bones ache. Four down, one to go and unfortunately that one was Psychology. Every free moment she had between exams and studying for other classes was spent reviewing for Psychology. At this point, she didn't think she would fail but she didn't think she would pass with flying colors either. Somewhere in the middle. All Brynn could hope for was that she did well and survive through her hardest test.

A break from college was much needed. With the stress of exams and grades, Brynn was also dealing with the guilt she still carried from her argument with Brendan. They had only spoken a few times that week and each conversation had been short and bittersweet. She was beginning to think that Brendan had been right; Brynn was jealous of Sydney. Deep down she knew she always had been. Brynn just hoped that she could learn to not be so envious of her friend and control it before it ruined her relationship with Brendan.

She went back to her dorm and allowed herself to take a nap. She awoke two hours later to the sound of her alarm clock. Brynn buried her face in her pillow, wanting nothing more than to turn the stupid thing off and sleep for the rest of the night.

Her logic kicked in and Brynn swung her legs over the side of the bed and sat for a moment. She needed to study and Jonathan would be expecting her arrival within the next half hour. Brynn wiped the crust out of her eyes and gathered her belongings.

Sydney walked into the room a moment later. The two hadn't talked much since the night of the party. Brynn averted her eyes as the other girl walked past her.

"I'm going to go study for my exam tomorrow," Brynn informed her. "I'll be at the library if you need me."

"'Kay."

Brynn frowned. Another thing had been added to her growing pile of stress. "Well…I'll see you later."

Syndey stood in front of her vanity and ran her fingers through her tangled hair. "Have fun."

Brynn awkwardly lingered. She felt the need to apologize but didn't know where to start. _Sorry I thought you hooked up with my boyfriend. _A conversation like that would probably lead to pointed fingers and shouting. Brynn sighed in defeat and waved goodbye to her roommate before walking out the door.

She was early when she arrived at the library and took a seat at their usual table. Jonathan was nowhere in sight. Brynn decided to start studying on her own as she waited for her young tutor. She opened the flap of her book bag, pulled her text book out and reached for her binder.

"Crap," Brynn whispered when she read the word _Spanish _sprawled across the front. She must have forgotten to change her books when she left. Brynn sighed and packed her belongings again and left the library.

Jonathan was walking in as she was leaving and they nearly collided head on. He regained his balance and reached for his glasses which had fallen on the floor.

"Sorry," Brynn quickly apologized. "I forgot my notes, I'll be right back."

"I'll go with you," Jonathan replied. Brynn raised a brow at him and he shrugged. "There's no point in waiting another twenty minutes for you to arrive."

"Whatever you say," she muttered.

Jonathan walked behind her and they made their way across the campus. The sky had darkened and a light snowfall decorated the sidewalks. The snow crunched under her shoes and she was filled with an excitement for Christmas. The holiday was one of her favorites with the presents and Christmas dinners. It was also a special time for her since it had been close to the time that her parents had signed the adoption papers and added her to the family. She could still vividly remember her first Christmas with them and the stuffed bear that her siblings had given to her as a gift. The first act of them welcoming her.

They walked past Brendan's dorm and Brynn quickly glimpsed up at his window. The light was off. Brynn frowned and wondered if he had gone to get some food or was studying elsewhere. He hadn't been at the library when she had been there. Maybe he was studying with friends?

Jonathan scoffed.

"What?" Brynn looked over her shoulder at the younger boy.

"You call me the creepy one."

"How am I creepy?" she demanded.

"Staring into peoples' windows is not socially acceptable."

"Yeah, well, I'm sure you do it all the time," Brynn snapped.

Jonathan quickened his strides so that they walked shoulder to shoulder. "Have I ever told you that you're quick to judge?"

"You've mentioned it a few times," Brynn said. "You're no better."

"Is that so?"

"You stereotype everyone you meet."

Jonathan stared straight ahead. "I have my reasons."

The snow was falling harder and Brynn had to rapidly blink to keep it out of her eyes. "You hate everyone, even the people you don't know. Are you really going to let some middle school grudge effect your whole life?"

"Like I said, I have my reasons for disliking people. If one can earn my trust then maybe I will be capable of getting along with them," he said. "However, no one has proved worthy of that trust so I don't hand it out like Halloween candy."

"All because you were picked on by some bullies when you were younger," Brynn muttered.

He turned to her and studied her carefully. The streetlights overhead reflected in his bright blue eyes giving them an exotic look. "How do you know about that?"

"Some people told me," she replied casually.

"And this is why I think you're so obnoxious," he said. "You have to get your nose in everybody's business."

"I am _not_ obnoxious," Brynn defended herself. "People start to ask questions when you hang around the Scarecrow—"

Jonathan abruptly stopped. His eyes flashed dangerously and his mouth set in a thin line. Brynn held her breath as a million emotions played out on his face. By the looks of it, his old nickname had not been something he was fond of…

"What did you just call me?" Jonathan asked quietly, his eyes holding hers.

Brynn stepped back, surprised that he had not yelled at her. In her opinion, he was scarier when he was quiet. "Uhh…"

Jonathan's eye twitched. The young boy's anger rolled off him in waves yet he managed to maintain his composure. Finally, he shoved his hands in his pockets and started walking again.

Brynn sighed and tried to catch up with him. "I'm sorry."

"This is exactly why I don't like people," Jonathan told her. "Everyone is so ignorant. They don't register that when they say harsh things it has an effect on the other person. It's just assumed that when they insult them, everyone will give them a high-five and congratulate them on saying something funny. Most times that's the case and all you ever hear about are the 'funny' insults being thrown around. No one remembers the person who had those words thrown at them. No one cares how they feel."

She was stunned into silence. That was the most Jonathan had ever opened up to her and expressed his feelings. Guilt drowned her and Brynn walked with her head down, her eyes trained on his shoes, wishing she could swallow her words.

"You have every right to be angry," Brynn told him. "You're right. No one cares about how it will affect the other person, they just want the high-five. But…usually the one bullying the other is jealous of that person or insecure…"

"Like you would know," Jonathan spat out. "You've had so much experience in that field."

"You'd be surprised. I've had my fair share of jabs," Brynn said darkly. "I'm sorry. Honestly."

Jonathan remained silent for the rest of the walk. It wasn't until they reached Brighton Hall that he opened his mouth again.

"At least you said sorry," he muttered as he walked through the door. Brynn decided that she was forgiven and a little bit of the weight pressing down on her shoulders was lifted.

With her spirits slowly rising, Brynn raced up the stairs past Jonathan. He rolled his eyes at her as she stuck her tongue out at him when she reached the top of the steps.

"Would you just hurry and get your notes?" Jonathan sighed exasperatedly.

"I'm going as fast as I can." Brynn walked as slowly as possible to get on his nerves. She nearly doubled over when she saw the scowl spread across his face.

He tapped the face of his watch. "Wasting time…"

"Okay, okay!" Brynn said as she reached into her pocket for her key. "Hold on, would you—"

The lock clicked open and she entered the dark room. Brynn flipped the switch and the lights flickered on.

It took her a moment to register the events that followed in the next ten seconds.

The first thing she saw was Sydney straddling some guy, her neon pink bra standing out against her skin, the straps hanging off her shoulders. The girl's eyes widened and she jumped off him and ran into the wall. The next thing to register in her mind was the sharp intake of breath Jonathan took behind her. Lastly, the boy who had been underneath her roommate looked up, his brown eyes wide.

"Brynn," Brendan breathed and scooted as far away from Sydney as possible.

All hell broke loose.

"Oh. My. Fucking. _God_," Brynn shouted. Her eyes widened as everything made sense to her. "Oh my _God."_

Brendan pulled his shirt on, his expression frantic. "Brynn, listen—"

"You fucking _asshole_," Brynn screeched.

Behind her, Jonathan slowly retreated. His eyes were nervous. "I should go…"

Brynn pushed past him and stomped down the hall, her face bright red. Brendan ran after her as he tried to pull his pants back on.

"Brynn, wait!"

"You lied to me," she called over her shoulder. "You said you weren't hooking up with her!"

"It means nothing!"

"To you it doesn't!" she cried, the tears pouring down her face and blurring her vision. "You couldn't keep your pants on, could you? You just _had _to go stick it somewhere!"

Sydney ran out of the room, struggling into her white tank top. She stood next to Jonathan and crossed her arms over her chest. Brynn could barely look at the girl without wanting to gag.

"It only happened a few times!" he tried to reason with her. "It'll stop, I promise. I'll never look at her again."

"Is it that simple to you?" she wailed. "Here, let me just fool around with a few girls but then I'll be faithful to my girlfriend. News flash, pal, the world doesn't work that way!"

Brynn tried to run off again. Brendan grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her back. Immediately, Brynn's fist pulled back and collided into his face. A searing pain shot through her hand.

"_Owww_!" Brynn whined and shook her hand out.

Blood was pooling out of Brendan's nose and onto his hand. "Ugh, you bitch!"

Doors were beginning to open and girls were sticking their heads out to see what the big commotion was. It was quite a scene. Brynn stood against the wall, crying; Brendan was still cupping his face, his hands stained crimson; Sydney had started to cry as well and still didn't have any pants on; and Jonathan was stuck in the middle of it all looking horribly uncomfortable.

"I hate you," Brynn moaned. She sniffled and slumped pathetically against the wall.

"I think you broke my nose," he mumbled.

"Good," Brynn snapped. She was aware of several pairs of eyes on her and just wanted to disappear. "You can go now. We're done."

He scowled at her. "Fuck you."

"Get out!"

Brendan left and all the other girls returned to their rooms. Brynn, Jonathan, and Sydney were the only ones left in the hallway.

Sydney opened her mouth to say something but quickly shut up when Brynn glared at her. She curled her fingers around the hem of her t-shirt and kept her eyes on the floor.

"Feel free to sleep outside," Brynn growled. She shoved Sydney out of her way and headed back for her dorm.

Jonathan quietly followed behind. He paused in the threshold, unsure of what to do.

"You can go," Brynn said. She looked away from him and furiously wiped the tears off her face.

"That would probably be best." He stood awkwardly and opened his mouth to say something but quickly shut it. Jonathan backed out of the room and closed the door behind him.

Brynn locked the door so Sydney wouldn't be able to get back in. Not that she thought she would try to but still—she didn't want the girl anywhere near her.

She was overcome with exhaustion and lied down on her bed. Kicking her shoes off, Brynn turned off the lights and closed her eyes, not caring about the final exam she needed to study for.

**. . .**

The next morning, Brynn wasn't sure when she woke up. She just stared at the ceiling, feeling numb. The clock next to her bed informed her that the Psychology exam started in an hour. Dread was dripping through her veins. Not opening her textbook last night might have been the biggest mistake of her life.

Brynn slowly sat up and stared at her fingers. The previous night's events played on repeat in her mind. Finding her supposed best friend on top of her boyfriend. Smashing her fist against his face. Having all those girls stare at it her pitifully. A mournful whimper made its way out of her mouth and tears streamed down her face.

She stayed that way for a long time. When there were no more tears left to shed, Brynn pulled herself out of bed and hopped into the shower. She turned the nob to the very far side and allowed the water to burn her skin. Still, she felt numb.

There wasn't enough time for her to study if she wanted to be on time to class. Brynn changed out of her clothes from the previous night and into a pair of track pants and a jumper. She left the dorm without drying her hair or patting on some concealer to hide the dark circles under her eyes.

Word must have spread about Brendan's infidelity. People stared when she walked by and whispered to their friends. Some people stopped to give her a sympathetic smile. Brynn ignored them all.

When she entered the main building, Dominic was the first to approach her.

"Hey," he said carefully. "I heard about what happened."

Brynn pressed the up button on the elevator. "I don't want to talk about it."

"I know," he nodded. He bit his lip. "I'm here if you want to talk."

The lump returned to her throat and she had to blink several times to get rid of the tears. She curtly nodded and stepped into the elevator. When she was spit out on the fourth floor, the first thing she saw was the clock on the wall. She had seven minutes to study for her entire Psychology exam.

She wanted to start crying then and there. She wanted to run back to her dorm and hide under the covers. The walk to the Psychology room felt like a walk to the guillotine. If she failed this exam (which was inevitable), her parents would have her head above the mantle.

Brynn took her seat and began flipping through her index cards. The room was filled with last minute questions. All the noise caused Brynn's head to pound. No matter how hard she tried to focus on her notes, she couldn't pay attention.

Panic was settling on her like a mighty burden. She gripped the edges of her seat and desperately looked around the room. Where was Jonathan? She needed some last minute review and the boy was nowhere in sight.

With a minute to spare, Jonathan entered the classroom, his face relaxed and casual. As he approached Brynn, his eyes turned cautious and he examined her face. Neither of them said a word to the other. The lump forming in Brynn's throat restricted her from producing sound.

"You look sick," Jonathan noted.

"I think I'm going to throw up," she squeaked. "I'm so screwed."

Professor Mapps closed the door and shushed his students. "It's that time of year again. Clean your tables off and have a number two pencil at the ready."

She nearly vomited. A choked sound bubbled out of her mouth. She began rocking back and forth in her seat.

They were the second table to receive the test. Brynn eyed the first page of the test which was all vocab. Her vision wobbled and her palms sweated.

"Uh oh," she whispered.

The students around them had started the exam. Brynn could hardly move. Her breathing came out in ragged breaths and her heart was beating three times faster than usual. The words on the page swam before her eyes.

She dropped her head into her hands and willed herself not to have a seizure.

Something poked her in the side and she groaned. It happened again, only harder this time. She glanced up to see Jonathan leaning towards her.

"Get it together," he whispered.

She shook her head vigorously, on the verge of tears. "I'm screwed. I didn't study and I can't focus."

Jonathan sighed and looked around the room. Mapps was handing the tests out to the seventh row. "Clear your head. Count to ten and take deep breaths."

"Jonathan, I _can't_—"

He leaned his head closer to hers, much closer than he would have in the previous months. "If you are going to let some ignorant _boy_," he hissed, "ruin your chances of passing this class, then I have no respect for you. You've gotten this far and have worked too hard just to be affected by some…_asshole_. Now take ten deep breaths and get started on your exam."

Brynn blinked. "You just lost your virginity, Swear Virgin."

"_Breathe, _Kiley."

"Okay, okay!" Brynn whispered. She faced forward and closed her eyes. _One, two, three…_

Brendan didn't matter. He was just some stupid boy who couldn't keep his pants on.

_Four, five, six…_

She had worked too hard and deserved to pass this class. After all the long hours of studying and tutoring, she was ready for this even though she didn't think so.

_Seven, eight, nine…_

No, she _was _ready. She'd pass this course. She would prove everyone wrong—her parents, Professor Mapps, Jonathan. Yes, she was lazy but she wasn't stupid. Brynn Kiley was anything but stupid. She could do this.

_Ten. _

Brynn opened her eyes and got to work on the exam.

**. . .**

**A/N: I'm terribly sorry that it took me this long to post a new chapter. My life has been hectic recently and I couldn't figure out how to write this chapter. It took me a week just to plan the order of events and then I rewrote it three times. Sigh. Well, I hope you guys liked it!**

**Thank you, thank you, thank you dEnIsE tHe StRaNgE, areosmithlover, Solstice White, Shannon, ElektraMackenzie, angeloffire, Amber, MorraHadon, and Roxie13 for reviewing! Thank you to everyone who added the story to their alerts! As always, the feedback is greatly appreciated and motivational. **

**These chapters keep getting longer and longer. This one was 20 Word Document pages and over 7,000 words. My fingers are cramping up :/ **

**My end of the year exams start in about two weeks and I'm hoping that I can write up one more chapter before I drown in study guides and caffeine. After that there will be updates galore! (I hope.) This next chapter I am **_**so excited **_**to write. **_**SO. EXCITED. **_**Do you ever start writing a story and from the beginning you have a certain scene in your head that you want to write about but it won't happen for quite a while? Well, that's what this next chapter is for me. I've had this certain idea in my mind since August and I didn't even know what I wanted the story to be about back then. All I knew was that it would involve Jonathan, an OC, and the surprise that you'll have to wait to read about. I'M SO EXCITED. Sorry, I just had, like, 32 oz. of Pepsi, I'm kind of hyper. But yeah, I can't wait and I hope you guys are as excited as I am!**

**I had a reader make an observation in their review and I'm going to point it out: the story is going to get **_**much **_**darker. Right now, it's sort of silly and chill with the occasional heavy scenes (like Brendan and Brynn's fight). However, those scenes are **_**nothing **_**compared to what's going to start happening in the story soon. Freshman year is rather light. There will be dark parts but other than that, it's laidback. Sophomore year might be the darkest part of the story. When I say dark, I mean **_**dark. **_**I'm starting to believe that when I skip to when the movies take place, those chapters won't even be as dark as these upcoming chapters. I'm excited and scared at the same time to write about them. It's going to be interesting… But in the meantime, please enjoy the fluffiness of the story because it will soon be gone. **

**This sort of ties in with the previous paragraph. Jonathan's character is also rather light right now. Well, as light as you can get for Jon. Mainly because he's still so young. I've really noticed it in the last few chapters. Anyway, his character will really start to darken during sophomore year. **

**Sophomore year's just going to be a blast! Bring your party hats, we'll have loads of fun. **

**Brendan turned out to be a douche! Sorry if you don't like it, but it was planned ever since I developed his character. I needed someone to strain Brynn's relationship with Sydney and push her towards Jonathan and other characters. Brynn's social circle will also change as the story progresses. **

**Alrighty, I need help with something. I had a career idea in mind for Brynn for later in the story after the time lapse but I decided it's overly used and need something else for her to do. Suggestions? Her job isn't intended to be fancy, just something common. Leave your ideas!**

**Random side note, did anyone see **_**Iron Man 3? **_**If you haven't, you need to ASAP. It's my new favorite movie after **_**V for Vendetta **_**and **_**The Dark Knight **_**trilogy. MAKE SURE YOU STAY FOR ALL THE CREDITS. I DON'T CARE IF IT TAKES TWENTY MINUTES, **_**YOU WILL STAY!**_

**My caffeine's wearing off. Read and review please! Reviewers will be rewarded with the Avenger of their choice! (Except for Tony Stark. MINE!)**


	22. Chapter 22

_Olivia was starting to get used to waking up next to Charles Branden, the sound of an alarm going off a little after five. Her signal that it was time to leave. _

_Olivia groaned as the small box beeped angrily several times. She slammed her fist down hard on it and sat up in bed. Wiping the sleep out of her eyes, Olivia looked around the dark room. The sun wouldn't be up for another hour; by the time it was, she would already be long gone. Next to her, Charles was rousing from his slumber. No, Charlie. She had been asked numerous times to refrain from calling him his given name. Charlie was the only name he would answer to. _

_After the first night spent together, the two of them had agreed it would be a one-time thing. Charlie paid Olivia the money she had been promised and she had gone on her way. _

_It wasn't a full twenty-four hours before Charlie called her back. _

_Now she was accustomed to waking up at five a.m. on Thursday and Saturday mornings in his bed. She would change and leave, using the staircase and back entrance to avoid attention. _

_Then, on Wednesday and Friday nights, she would be back for another blissful evening. _

_Charlie pulled himself out of bed finally, his eyes tired, his mouth set in a straight line. He nodded towards the bathroom. Groggily, he asked, "Care to join me?"_

_Olivia nodded and crawled out of bed. Twenty minutes later, she emerged from the shower, flushed and wide awake, water droplets streaming down her caramel colored back. She pulled a towel off the rack and went back into the bedroom to change into her clothes from the previous night. _

_Walking into the bedroom, Olivia gathered the clothes off the floor and began to redress. She sat on the bed and patted her damp hair with the towel. In the bathroom, she heard Charlie humming a Beatles song. _

_She stood and walked back to the bathroom to return the towel when she stepped on something. She hissed and hopped on one foot, the area throbbing. Groaning, Olivia reached down and felt around for the object she had stepped on. Her fingers came in contact with a cold, smooth, circular object. Olivia held it in front of her face and squinted. _

_A gold ring was what she had stepped on. _

_Not just any kind of ring, though. _

_A wedding ring. _

_Charlie emerged from the bathroom at that moment, cleanly shaved and wearing his boxers and a white t-shirt. He froze when he saw Olivia holding the band. _

"_What's this?" she asked as she scrutinized the tiny object. _

"_Nothing," Charlie replied. He attempted to swipe it from her but she held it out of reach. "Olivia."_

"_I hadn't realized you were married," Olivia told him. She looked back at it and raised her brows. "What's her name?"_

_Charlie managed to steal it from her this time. He turned away and shoved the tiny object in his pocket. "Does it matter?"_

"_I'd like to know if she ever happens to stumble in on us," Olivia snapped. _

_Charlie turned from her and focused on the suit laid out on the bed. He stuck his legs through the pants and fiddled with the button. "That will never happen. My wife is too consumed in her work life to even notice that I'm missing from the house."_

"_Ah." Olivia nodded. "So it's that kind of marriage?"_

"_I'd prefer not to talk about it," he said quietly. His face was serious, his light green eyes pleading. "I didn't think you were supposed to talk about your spouse with your other partner."_

_Olivia frowned. She stared at Charlie long and hard, her eyes trying to decipher him and understand him. Charlie cocked his head to the side. _

"_What?"_

"_You didn't call me your mistress. Or your hooker," she said, her voice cautious and wondering. _

_Charlie looked confused. "Do you want to be called those names?"_

"_No," she said quickly. "I'm just used to be referring to as…oh, what's the word…fuck-buddy."_

_He looked appalled. Charlie's lips tightened and for a moment, Olivia was afraid the she had offended him somehow. Quickly, she averted her eyes to the floor and studied her bare feet. Charlie moved closer to her until she could feel his warm breath on her scalp. He pressed a hand to her cheek and gently forced her to look up at him. _

"_I know you think that's what you are," he said quietly, his fingers warm against her skin. The expression he wore was serious. "A hooker or a…what you just referred to yourself as. But I never want to hear you refer to yourself as one."_

"_I'm a hooker," Olivia stated flatly. "The job description says whores having sex with strange men."_

_He shushed her. "Don't use that word. I don't like it, especially when you're referring to yourself as one. I don't think that's what you are. I think you were in the wrong place and ended up with the wrong job. _I think _you're a woman who has great potential and is still searching for something to put that potential towards. If you just keep searching, I think you'd be surprised with what you find, Olivia."_

_Her breathing ceased and all she could do was stare. Charlie continued to gently stroke her cheek and she found herself resting her own hand on top of his. This wasn't how it was supposed to be. She was a whore and he was a client. They were supposed to do the deed and that would be it. No strings attached. _

_So why couldn't she take her eyes off his face? Why was she breathing so rapidly? Why was she filled with a warm, safe feeling?_

_Olivia gasped involuntarily and stepped back. Her cheek burned from where his hand had been. Shaking fingers pressed against the spot tenderly. A million thoughts were racing through her head. _

"_I…I should get going," Olivia whispered. Whatever she was feeling right now was a new feeling for her. She wasn't sure how to contain it, how to react. She needed to be alone for a while to think things through._

_Olivia turned around and headed for the door. Right as her hand was reaching for the knob, another wave of this unknown feeling washed over her, making her head light, her legs wobbly. Logic was nowhere to be found and natural instinct was fighting for control. _

_She turned around against her will and strutted back to the man. He must have sensed what was about to happen because he took a step forward, his arms open and eager and pulled her against him. Their lips crashed together and Olivia was tangling her fingers in his soft hair and his hands were traveling up and down her back. Their lips moved together like partners in a dance, their movements fluid and practiced. Before she knew it, Charlie was pulling her back on the bed. _

**. . . **

All it took to get over Brendan had been a quart of cookie dough ice cream and a hundred dollars' worth of clothing. Brynn could honestly say that she no longer cared about her sleazy ex-boyfriend and didn't miss him in the slightest.

She was still pissed at Sydney. Furious was more like it.

On Sunday afternoon, Brynn sat on the floor of her bedroom, surrounded by shopping bags and a plate of Christmas cookies. She happily nibbled on a sugar cookie as she inspected her purchases. In the background, Kim Carnes' song "Bette Davis Eyes" was playing on her stereo.

Organizing her purchases kept her from thinking about what had happened. Sydney and Brendan were the last people she wanted to think about. All it did was make her angry and want to kick things and knock furniture over. Sydney was supposed to be her best friend. Brynn had been there for her at some of her worst moments in life and this was how she repaid her? Some friend she was.

Brynn took another bite of her Christmas cookie and chased all the dark thoughts away. She began to separate her clothing by color.

In her pocket, her phone began to vibrate. Without checking the caller ID, Brynn pulled it out and flipped it open.

"Yeah?" she casually answered, her mouth full of cookie.

"Brynn? It's Jonathan."

She nearly choked on the crumbs. Brynn coughed violently and checked the screen to see if it was some sort of prank. Sure enough, the caller ID read Jonathan Crane.

She swallowed her cookie painfully. "Jonathan," she squeaked. She cleared her throat and tried again. "Um, hi?"

"Hello," he replied unsurely.

Neither of them spoke. Static crackled through the phone.

"How are you?" he cautiously asked. He was referring to the incident.

"Fine," Brynn answered. "Did you need something?"

"Yes, actually. You never paid me for our final week of tutoring and I'm in need of the payment for break," Jonathan explained.

Brynn slapped her forehead. "Crap! I completely forgot, I'm sorry. I'll have my dad wire it to your bank account tonight."

There was a muffled sound on the other side of the line. "That's the thing," he said. "I need it tonight and I'm unable to get to the bank until later in the week. Could I meet you somewhere and get it?"

"Are you at home right now?"

"I'm still at school."

Brynn glanced at the clock by her bed. "I could drop it off."

"Are you sure? I can just get on the bus and meet you somewhere—"

"It's fine. I'll be there in an hour." Brynn hung up and wiped the crumbs off her outfit. Surprisingly, she wasn't annoyed that Jonathan was interrupting her afternoon and making her drive back to the university. What surprised her more was that they were being civil with one another. Not a single insult had been thrown during their brief conversation.

She really just needed an excuse to get out of the house. After the whole Thanksgiving fiasco, things were tense in the atmosphere. Whenever she and her sister were in the same room together, her parents would watch with wary eyes. They were preparing for the next outburst.

Brynn hurried down the staircase and headed for her father's office. The door was opened and he was busy reading a file.

"Daddy," Brynn said as she entered the room. "Can you write a check out for me?"

"What for?" George asked, looking up at his youngest daughter.

"I have to pay my tutor."

Instead of lecturing her on the importance of being able to pay for herself, George nodded and opened a drawer in his desk. He knew about what had happened with Brendan and had been rather lenient with Brynn ever since she had arrived home Friday afternoon on the verge of tears. He had been the one to take Brynn shopping earlier in the afternoon and update her wardrobe. Brynn thought of it as his way of saying, "Sorry your boyfriend turned out to be a total douchebag."

He scribbled on the checkbook then tore out the tiny piece of paper. "Dinner's at six."

"I'll be back by then. Thank you," Brynn said as she left his office.

She hurried into the kitchen and set the check down on the counter. Grabbing her keys and her coat, Brynn left the kitchen and headed for the garage.

It had been months since she had last driven her car. Driving down her street, her hands had shook and her foot constantly hovered over the brake. Her car was a large four-wheeler, something she used to be proud of. None of the other girls at St. Mary's had the guts to drive a car that big and Brynn had even earned some respect amongst her male peers. Now it just made her nervous.

By the time she had driven through the town and was merging onto the highway, Brynn grew comfortable with the automobile. She settled into her seat and sang along to the songs on the radio. Forty minutes later, she arrived at the university and parked her car in front of Dixie-Wells Hall.

The campus was deserted. Brynn saw a handful of people as she walked down the sidewalk and entered the dorm building. The lobby was dark and empty. The boys who had been lounging around playing chess the first time she visited Jonathan's dorm had all left for the holidays.

She hurried up the stairs, down the hall, and knocked on Jonathan's door. The brass numbers on the door rattled and Brynn was surprised that they were still holding on. On the other side of the door, Jonathan called, "It's unlocked."

Cautiously, Brynn turned the knob and entered his room, closing the door behind her. Jonathan stood next to his bed, packing a suitcase. He looked up and nodded when he saw Brynn.

"Hey," Brynn said. She walked farther into his clean room and looked around. "How come you're still here? Everyone left on Friday."

Jonathan zipped the bag. "I had a few things to finish up."

He turned to her and wiped his hands on his khakis. Jonathan's brows furrowed as he took in the sight of her. "You're not wearing sweats for once."

Brynn looked down at the outfit she wore. She was dressier than usual, wearing a loose white dress with a brown belt wrapped around her waist and black leggings and boots. Under her coat, she wore a red cardigan sweater. She'd even gone as far as turning her naturally straight hair wavy with a curling iron. "My mother has fits if I leave the house wearing something that doesn't have zippers or buttons."

"Ah," was all Jonathan said.

Another awkward pause.

"So," Jonathan finally spoke. "Do you have it?"

She had forgotten all about the check. Her hands went to her pockets. "Oh. Right. Hold on."

Jonathan waited as Brynn searched through her pockets for the check. Brynn frowned as she rummaged through them, the silky fabric rubbing against her fingers. A moment later, she was digging through her purse.

"It's in here somewhere," Brynn said as she searched through the bag. She couldn't find it anywhere. Brynn dumped the contents of her bag onto the spare bed next to Jonathan's and blushed when a tampon fell out. She inspected everything laying out before her; cell phone, wallet, a tube of lip gloss, car keys, a pen, as well as various other things. The check was nowhere in sight.

"Umm…" Brynn stopped and began to retrace her steps. Her dad gave her the check. She walked into the kitchen. Then she got in the car…

The kitchen. She had set the check down on the counter.

"Oh, crap," Brynn mumbled. She turned to Jonathan. "I forgot it."

The younger boy stared at her with unimpressed eyes. "Brynn…"

She reached for her wallet and began counting the bills inside. She owed Jonathan over a hundred dollars; she came up with forty-seven.

Brynn dropped her wallet on the bed and awkwardly laughed. "Well this is awkward…"

Jonathan closed his eyes and sighed. "Brynn. I _needed _that money for break…"

"I'll go home real fast and get it," she offered. The thought of driving forty minutes back home and then back to school was less than appealing.

"I have to be home by six," he groaned.

Brynn checked her watch. It was almost four-thirty. There was no way she could make it there and back without making Jonathan late. He probably had to take the bus home too and that would arrive before Brynn returned.

An idea came to mind. The second it entered her brain, Brynn was mentally swatting it away like a fly. _Absolutely not! _Her conscience yelled. _No way!_

She didn't have much of a choice.

"I'll drive you home," Brynn squeezed the words out of her tight throat and grimaced at the taste it left behind.

"What?"

"We'll go back to my house real fast, get the check, then I'll drive you home."

Jonathan stared at her in disbelief. He probably thought she was crazy. Brynn sure did. After a pregnant pause, Jonathan sighed and asked, "Where do you live?"

**. . .**

If his calculations were correct, Jonathan would arrive home around six fifty-six. He had refused to allow her to drive him home and had to convince her to drop him off after they had gotten the check at a nearby bus stop. They would arrive at Brynn's house around five fifteen, he would catch the five-thirty bus, and would then have to _sprint _from the bus stop to his home in order to avoid a tirade from his grandmother. That was if he was lucky and they didn't hit much traffic.

Jonathan grimaced at the thought of what his grandmother might do to him if he was late.

His suitcase had been thrown in the trunk of Brynn's SUV and they were now merging onto the highway. Jonathan gripped the leather seat as the car accelerated. In the last ten minutes, Jonathan had realized how terrifying it was to drive with Brynn. She sped and weaved in and out of traffic. Several times, Jonathan had held his breath as Brynn stomped on the gas as the light turned yellow. She made sharp turns that caused Jonathan to slide around in his seat. His stomach was knotting up from the bouncy, nerve-wrecking ride.

He was beginning to believe that she was doing this on purpose.

After five minutes on the highway with no disturbances or sudden jerks, Jonathan loosened his grip on the seat and relaxed. He focused his eyes on the tail lights of the red car in front of them.

Brynn was fumbling with the radio stations, her eyes darting between the knob and the road. The car began to merge into the other lane. Jonathan cleared his throat and gripped the seat tightly.

She positioned herself back in the right lane and turned to Jonathan, a wicked smile on her face. "What's the matter? Car sick?"

"Not at all," Jonathan lied through gritted teeth. His stomach lunged and made a loud gurgling noise.

Brynn purposely veered into the other lane.

"_Brynn_," Jonathan warned.

She snickered evilly. "Calm down."

"I can't calm down," Jonathan snapped. "My life is in the palm of your hand right now and I'm beginning to worry about it."

"I shouldn't tell you that I haven't driven this car since the summer, should I?" Brynn confessed. A smile spread from ear to ear when she saw the color drain from his face. "Or any car, actually. My parents took my driving privileges away after I got my license suspended."

"_What_?"

"I got it back, don't worry."

"How did you get your license suspended?" Jonathan squeaked. His eyes were shut now.

"Too many tickets. Mainly parking with the occasional speeding."

"I'm going to be sick…"

She laughed at his response. Brynn turned her attention back to the road and remained quiet for a short period of time.

Once his stomach had settled, Jonathan grew the courage to peel his eyes open and watch her drive. For someone who had just been cheated on, she seemed okay. Her lazy, care-free expression was back and there were no signs of sleep deprivation. Jonathan felt relieved for some odd reason. The last time he had seen her, she had been an emotional wreck and it had…bothered him. He could still vividly remember her tear-streaked face as she yelled at that imbecile the other night. Anger flashed through him like lightning.

"You're observing," Brynn called him out. She stared straight ahead at the road.

"Yes," Jonathan did not deny.

"What are you thinking about?"

Jonathan stared at his chewed fingernails. They had been reduced to bloody nail beds. He hated returning home for the holidays. It turned him into an anxious, nail-biting wreck.

"I'm surprised that you're okay," he answered finally.

Brynn looked over her shoulder before merging into the middle lane. "I didn't feel like moping over Brendan during break."

"That's great," Jonathan truthfully told her. "Not letting it get to you is a healthy decision."

She smirked. "I'm doing a good job then?"

"You seem to have forgotten that I don't hand compliments out like Christmas presents," he teased.

"Speaking of Christmas," Brynn began. "I'm sure you're just _thrilled _right now. I remember you told me that you hated this time of year."

Jonathan cocked his head. She had actually remembered the conversation they had had a few weeks before when they went to the library. "Positively _ecstatic_."

"I don't understand you." Brynn shook her head. "Of all the things to hate, you choose _Christmas_. Why?"

Jonathan rested his elbow on top of the compartment between their seats. "For one, it's a religious holiday."

"All the non-religious people look past that part of it. They focus on the presents and music and stuff," Brynn pointed out.

"That's the other thing. It's a season of greed."

"Greed?"

"Think about it," Jonathan said. He rested his chin on the back of his hand and looked at her. Brynn glanced back and forth between the road and him. "All anyone focuses on are the presents. It's the greediest time of year. _I want this. I want that. I want, I want, I want. _We are so preoccupied with what we desire and get all caught up in the fuss over presents. Money that could be spent elsewhere is wasted on frivolous gifts that will surely be tossed aside once the receiver becomes bored with them."

"I haven't thought of it that way before," she admitted. "But you've forgotten the joy that is felt from giving to others."

"The joy? _Pfft. _All I ever hear are the people grumbling about all the money coming out of their wallets. I think Christmas and any other time of gift giving shows how stingy our society is."

"Okay, Scrooge," Brynn teased. "Whatever you say."

"You're honestly telling me that you've never noticed these things?"

"Nope. Never."

Jonathan leaned back in his seat and examined her. He had never realized how easy it was to talk to her. It must have been her care-free attitude that was making Jonathan feel welcomed. Despite the few moments she had, Brynn wasn't a very judgmental person. Few things truly fired her up. Other than whining about school and such, Jonathan was beginning to find her bearable.

She was also entertaining to argue with. Brynn didn't immediately agree with whatever he said; she had some argument backed up and ready to be fired. There was always something Brynn could contradict.

He didn't give her enough credit, he realized.

The brakes slammed suddenly and Jonathan jerked forward, involuntarily yelping. Brynn veered into the other lane and sped up, honking her horn at the red car that had been in front of her.

"_Brynn!" _Jonathan exclaimed, his voice higher than he would have preferred.

"Some people are _so_ ignorant," Brynn started to rant. "You can't just slam on your brakes whenever you feel like it. There was nothing there that should have made him do that!"

She _humphed _dramatically and turned her attention back to the highway, squaring her shoulders.

So much for her not being judgmental…

The sun was setting when they got off the highway, turning the sky a pretty shade of orange. Brynn turned left at the stoplight and slowed the car as they drove down a street lined with convenience stores and restaurants. The town was quaint, all the buildings being red brick and old-fashioned. She turned on to another street. A park was on Jonathan's side and he made out the outline of a large fountain in the middle. The street inclined and Brynn gave the car some gas. Jonathan was gripping the leather seat again as they drove up a narrow, two-lane road that curved against a hill. The naked trees revealed a steep drop on Brynn's side. If a car drove through the safety rail, Jonathan was positive the long drop would not end well for the driver…

The valley was out of sight and they were driving down a flat street. Brynn turned again and they were on a wider four-lane street. Unexpectedly, Brynn slammed the brakes and the car screeched to a halt. Jonathan lurched forward again, hitting his forehead against the dashboard.

"_What the_—"

"Look!" Brynn exclaimed. She pointed out his window excitedly. "That's my old high school!"

Sure enough, in the distance, a red-brick building sat on top of a hill. It was surrounded by soccer fields and basketball courts. The parking lot was deserted.

Jonathan turned to Brynn, his lips pursed, his expression annoyed. The look on his face made Brynn snicker.

"Haven't I told you numerous times that I could care _less _about things like where you went to school?" Jonathan asked flatly.

She smirked at him and drove off, leaving the brick building behind. Soon, they were out of the town and entering neighborhoods. Brynn turned at a stop sign and they drove down a street with vast pastures stretching out on either side of the road.

Jonathan turned his attention away from her driving and listened to the radio. The DJ was going on about some contest. Finally, he shut up, and started a new track. The song was vaguely familiar to Jonathan although he couldn't think of the name.

"_Is this the real life?  
Is just this fantasy?"_

His ears picked up the softly sung lyrics and he tried to remember where he had heard it before. Brynn briefly glanced at the radio, a frown on her face.

Jonathan leaned forward and turned the volume up slightly. He leaned back in his seat and listened to the lines being sung.

"_Mama, just killed a man,  
Put a gun against his head,  
Pulled my trigger, now he's dead.  
Mama, life had just begun,  
But now I've gone and thrown it all away."_

Brynn leaned forward and killed the volume.

"I liked that song," Jonathan mumbled.

"We're almost at my house," Brynn told him, not giving him an actual answer as to why her mood had suddenly darkened.

She turned down one more street and Jonathan stared at the large houses. It was dark now and yellow light poured out from them and he could vaguely make out the insides of some of the houses. At the end of the street, Brynn turned down a dark driveway that seemed to go on forever.

The road widened to reveal a circular driveway.

Jonathan's jaw dropped when he saw her house.

His momentary shock was interrupted when he heard a loud _bang _and Brynn slammed the brakes for the umpteenth time that night.

"Dammit!" she hissed. Brynn unbuckled her seat belt and jumped out of the car. Jonathan followed, unsure of what was happening.

When he reached the front of the car, he saw Brynn staring down at something. It was a statue of a jockey holding a lamp and it was wedged underneath her car. One of its arms had fallen off.

"Why the _hell_ does my mom feel the need to put a freaking statue in the driveway?" Brynn complained. She pulled the statue out from under her vehicle and dragged it over to a shrub. Brynn hid it behind the shrub and rearranged the leaves. She pointed at Jonathan. "If anyone asks, you saw nothing."

She shook her head and stomped up the stairs leading to the front doors, her heels clicking. Jonathan followed and entered Brynn's home, an action he never would have dreamed of.

**. . . **

Brynn shrugged out of her coat and slung it over the staircase railing, revealing her red cardigan. Her shoes clicked against the white marble floor as she headed for the kitchen. Behind her, Jonathan followed, his head turning left and right as he took in the house. His eyes were all over the place.

"Wow," he breathed. "Your house is really…big."

Brynn shrugged. She was accustomed to people saying that the first time they ever came over but was never sure how to answer. The first year she had lived there, that had been the only thought that went through her mind. _My house is huuuuge_, eleven year old Brynn used to think. After living in tiny, cramped apartments for so long, her mind had hardly been able to handle the size of the home. It seemed like she was finding new rooms every day for that first year.

The check was where she had left it earlier on the kitchen counter. She swiped it up and held it out for Jonathan to grab. "Here you go."

Jonathan took it from her hand and neatly folded it into his wallet. He began to speak, though his eyes continued to roam the house, taking in as much as possible.

"Thank you," he told her as his blue eyes grazed over the kitchen. "I hope I was somewhat helpful this semester."

"Are you kidding me? You saved my ass," Brynn snorted. "Seriously, Jonathan. Thank you."

His eyes stopped wandering and landed on her face. They stared at each other for a moment, Brynn's black eyes studying Jonathan's blue eyes. Brynn was the one to look away first.

"Well," she cleared her throat and looked at her watch. "We should get going if you want to be home on time."

Jonathan blinked as though he had just been awakened from a trance. He coughed and then adjusted his glasses. "Mmm? Oh, right."

They turned to leave the kitchen right as George and Madelynn entered. They were speaking in quiet voices. Madelynn's eyes were narrowed. They halted when they saw their daughter and the strange boy.

"Brynn," George said. He raised his brows when he saw Jonathan. "Who's your friend?"

Brynn straightened and almost blurted out _He's not my friend_, but caught herself at the last second. She cleared her throat and tried again. "Oh, um, this is Jonathan. My Psychology tutor? Or, _was_ my Psychology tutor? Yeah…"

"Jonathan…?" George stuck his hand out.

Brynn was surprised when Jonathan leaned forward and shook her father's hand. She had expected him to stare at the older man's hand and then shoo him away. "Crane," Jonathan answered.

"Nice to meet you," George said. His eyes swept over Jonathan, sizing him up. Brynn gulped.

"We were leaving now," Brynn quickly added. "I have to drop Jonathan off at the bus station and then I'll be back."

She grabbed Jonathan by his elbow and started to pull him away.

"Nonsense," George's words stopped them. "Why don't you stay for dinner, Jonathan?"

Brynn's eyes widened. "I don't think he—"

"I really shouldn't—"

"I insist."

Brynn realized why her father had just invited the boy to dinner: he wanted to see where all his money had been going. She couldn't blame him. For the past month, he had willingly paid Jonathan for his services. Now he wanted to see if Jonathan had been worth it.

"We'd be delighted if you'd stay," George added. He turned to Madelynn. "Isn't that right, dear?"

Madelynn's eyes were scrutinizing Jonathan more than her fathers' had. A closed mouth smile stretched across her face, one that she used when she was being polite with strangers who ran their shopping carts accidentally into hers at the grocery store. "Of course."

Jonathan looked like a deer in the headlights. He shifted from foot to foot. Finally, he shoved his hands in his pockets and said, "I'll have to call and ask."

"Splendid," George chirped. "Dinner will be ready soon. I hope you like Italian."

**. . . **

Brynn sat on the couch in the basement, her legs propped up on the glass coffee table. Conrad sat next to her and the two of them watched TV but weren't really listening. In the bathroom, Jonathan was on the phone with his…someone. Brynn wasn't sure.

"So," Conrad said suddenly. "How was your day?"

"Good," Brynn replied. Her ears were strained to hear what was being said in the bathroom. "Yours?"

"Oh, you know. Same old, same old—"

"Yes, I know. I'm sorry—it was last minute," Jonathan's voice floated from the bathroom.

The siblings immediately shut up and listened in on the younger boy.

"It's an extra credit opportunity," Jonathan said. He was lying about where he was and what he was doing. "My professor assigned it—it's going to help my grade—okay, okay, I'm sorry! I didn't—I can't just—"

They turned their attention back to the TV as Jonathan remained silent and listened. They knew it was wrong to eavesdrop; Brynn couldn't help it and wanted to know if _Jonathan Crane _was actually staying for dinner; Conrad just liked to know what was going on. He was a bit of a gossiper, actually, and liked to know everyone's business. It was an unusual trait for Conrad to have.

Jonathan sounded like a child being scolded for staying out past curfew. He was trying to defend himself, though he seemed to be losing and his voice was a little higher than usual. Brynn frowned; what was being said on the other side of the line?

"I'm not talking back—I—" He sighed loudly. "Yes, I'll do it when I get home. Okay….Okay. Yes, Grandmother."

So it was grandmother. Brynn was reminded of her earlier discussion with Serena Lamar about how Jonathan lived with a relative.

The bathroom door opened and Brynn and Conrad quickly turned back to the TV. Jonathan sat on the far end of the couch, his face tired. Brynn felt guilty about her parents making him stay.

"Are you able to stay?" she asked gingerly.

"Yes," was his simple answer.

She wasn't sure what to say so she just nodded. She could tell that Jonathan was less than thrilled about it.

The three sat awkwardly on the couch watching a rerun. Conrad shifted and cleared his throat; Brynn played with the hem of her dress; Jonathan remained silent.

"So, Jonathan," Conrad slowly began. "How are things going?"

Jonathan stared at Conrad. "Fine."

She couldn't handle the awkwardness much longer. "I'm getting a drink. Anyone want anything?"

The two boys shook their heads and Brynn scurried to the back room. She pulled a beer out of the fridge, opened it, and took a long swig. Hopefully that would calm her nerves.

She came back to find the boys in their same spots. Conrad was attempting to make small talk. From the looks of it, he was having a difficult time. Jonathan nodded his head curtly and sat with his back straight against the couch. He couldn't have looked anymore awkward.

This was going to be an interesting night.

Brynn stepped over Conrad's legs and returned to her spot. "You two are getting along beautifully."

Jonathan scowled at her.

"Brynn, what the hell?" Conrad suddenly demanded. He pointed to the can of beer in her hands. "Dad will kill you if he sees you with that."

She shrugged. "He doesn't have to know."

She brought the can back to her lips and prepared to take another sip. Conrad swiped it away from her. Drops splashed onto her legs.

"Hey!" Brynn whined.

Conrad put the can on the coffee table. "You're underage. I'm sorry, Jonathan; my sister can be a bad influence."

"I'm accustomed to her bad decision making now," Jonathan casually told her older brother. "Half the things she does fail to surprise me these days."

Brynn shot him a sharp glare.

Conrad sighed. "Brynn isn't known for her good decision making."

"You can say that again."

Brynn slumped against the couch and crossed her arms. "Glad to see you two are getting along so well over all my flaws."

A feint smirk tugged at the corners of Jonathan's lips.

It disappeared soon after.

At least he was getting a kick out of it…

The door at the top of the staircase opened and Madelynn hollered for them to come to dinner. Conrad was the first off the couch and stretched his arms high above his head.

"I'm starving," he murmured as he hurried up the stairs two at a time.

"I should probably apologize in advance," Brynn said.

Jonathan's brow rose questioningly. "For?"

"Any brawls that break out during dinner," she explained. "They're regular occurrences at my house."

Jonathan nodded and followed her up the stairs. All she could hope for was that nothing too extreme happened.

**. . . **

He was seated between Brynn and Mr. Kiley, who sat at the head of the table. Diagonal from him was Conrad; on the other far end was Mrs. Kiley; and across from him was the other sister, Cadence, whom he had never seen before.

The first thing he thought of was how Brynn looked _nothing _like the rest of her family.

He had noticed it before when he first met Conrad. The oldest sibling had dark brown hair, a thin face, and light gray eyes. Her sister had the same thin face and eyes but had light brown hair. Jonathan searched Brynn's father's face for any similar traits but found none. She hadn't inherited her hair from him (his hair, which Jonathan guessed had once been a shade of brown, was the color of salt and pepper) nor his eyes (which were light gray). Even their facial structure was completely different.

He was stumped as to how the genes had worked in this family.

Cadence said grace after all the food had been laid out. Jonathan vaguely remembered Brynn telling him that she was religious. Despite his atheistic beliefs, Jonathan respectfully clasped his hands together and stayed silent. It wasn't a foreign act; he had been doing it for the last seventeen years due to his grandmother's extreme religious devotions.

The thought of his grandmother was chased from his mind; he didn't want to think about their earlier conversation over the phone.

Brynn passed him the bowl of biscuits and Jonathan helped himself to one. Just as he was about to take a bite, Mr. Kiley turned his attention to the young boy.

"So, Jonathan," Mr. Kiley began. His gray eyes were trained on his guest. "Tell me a little about yourself."

Jonathan froze, his mouth opened, the biscuit hovering inches away. He cleared his throat and set the piece of bread down. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see that Brynn was watching carefully. She slowly chewed her food and waited for Jonathan to speak.

"Something about myself?" Jonathan asked.

The man nodded as he stabbed a ravioli with his fork. "Where'd you go to high school? Did you play sports? How'd you two meet?"

"I don't play sports."

Something flashed across Brynn's father's face. Brynn audibly gulped.

"And where'd you graduate from?"

"Gotham High School."

"Jonathan moved up two grades," Brynn added out of nowhere. "Gotham gave him a full ride."

"Is that so?" he asked, suddenly interested. "Were you valedictorian?"

Jonathan shifted. All these questions were making him very uncomfortable. "I was supposed to be but the school thought it would be inappropriate to give the title to a student who should have been in a lower grade. I received the title of salutatorian."

"That's a shame. The title should go to the best and the brightest."

_Finally, _someone agreed with him. He had never gotten over the fact that his rightful spot had been given to the person who should have been in second.

"And what are you majoring in?"

"Psychology."

Mr. Kiley beamed with approval. "Any idea of what career you'd like to pursue after graduation?"

"Perhaps a pharmaceutical technician or a psychiatrist."

"Has Brynn told you about my company?" Mr. Kiley asked as he reached for another biscuit. "We sell pharmaceutical drugs."

"She hadn't mentioned it," Jonathan briefly glanced back at her. How ironic that the thing he was most interested in played a huge role in her life.

"Must have slipped my mind between all those papers I was writing," Brynn sarcastically said.

Her father ignored the comment. "We've been trying to persuade Brynn to choose a career in the medical field."

"Not happening."

"I'm sure you would love it if you gave it a chance," he directed his attention back to his youngest daughter.

"Nope," Brynn shook her head. "Too much blood and I'd be likely to overdose someone."

Mr. Kiley rolled his eyes at her remark. "We'll keep trying with her."

The attention was momentarily turned to Conrad and Jonathan felt himself relax. He didn't enjoy being under the microscope.

He looked up and caught Cadence staring at him. The older girl quickly turned away and looked at her brother. Earlier when she had walked into the room, she had given Jonathan a weird look upon seeing him. Jonathan continuously caught her staring at him.

The attention was brought back to him when Cadence finally spoke. "So how long have you guys been dating?"

Brynn sputtered her water out and Jonathan's fork clamored against his plate. Neither of them had been expecting that question.

"We're not dating," Brynn managed to get out between coughs.

Cadence frowned. "I thought you were dating some guy?"

"Obviously you didn't get the memo," Brynn darkly responded. "We broke up. The dirty bastard cheated on me."

"Brynn," Mr. Kiley scolded as he stabbed another ravioli.

"Oh," Cadence replied. "Sorry to hear about that."

Brynn dabbed the water that had been sputtered out earlier with her napkin. "Bet you are," she sarcastically murmured.

Cadence stared at her younger sister with pursed lips. Brynn returned the stare with unwavering eyes.

The air was tense between them, Jonathan noticed.

Mrs. Kiley cleared her throat. She had been quiet all night and Jonathan hadn't heard her say much. "Girls."

The stare was broken and they went back to moving their food around their plates with their forks. Their mother's dark eyes swept over the two girls, daring them to start something.

Jonathan was given the impression that they had a strained relationship.

Mrs. Kiley cleared her throat and smiled. "How about some dessert? Brynn, why don't you help me get things together?"

Something in her mother's eyes made Brynn straighten up. She pushed back from the table and followed her mother to the kitchen.

Jonathan piped up suddenly. "Where's your bathroom?"

Mr. Kiley pointed with his fork. "Down the hall on the left."

Jonathan excused himself and headed in that direction. He walked past the bathroom and stood outside the kitchen, pressing his back against the wall. In the window, he could see Brynn and her mother's reflections. They moved around silently, collecting bowls and such.

Finally, Mrs. Kiley stopped moving and crossed her arms. Her eyes were trained on Brynn who was still putting the bowls together. "He's young."

Her mother's voice was accusing and sharp. Brynn stopped and looked up at the older woman.

"I know."

"Too young," her mom added.

Brynn scoffed. "So?"

"So why are you associating yourself with a child, Brynn?"

"He's my tutor."

"Your tutor? Nothing more, nothing less?"

"Yes, mother," Brynn responded, her voice growing agitated. "Just my tutor."

The two women faced each other for a moment. Mrs. Kiley's hands were on her hips and Brynn's arms were crossed. Brynn was the one to look away first.

"Is there a problem?"

"I'm just curious as to why you brought him home for dinner."

"You guys were the ones who invited him to stay."

"Your _father_ invited him to stay."

"What, you don't like him?" Brynn asked.

"I never said that," her mother replied.

Brynn sighed and scooped some ice cream into a bowl. "Then what's the big deal?"

Mrs. Kiley tapped her fingers against the kitchen counter. "You just broke up with your boyfriend, Brynn. It's not uncommon to look for _comfort _in other…boys."

Brynn looked up and stared at her mother.

"You're disgusting," she finally muttered.

"I know what happens in college, Brynn!" her mother exclaimed. "I was there once."

"And you have to assume that I am sleeping with every guy I see?"

"I never _said _that."

"But you _implied _it."

They were silent for a moment, their lips pursed.

"Look," Brynn started, attitude rolling off her in waves. "Jonathan is just my tutor. Nothing more, nothing _less. _He helps me with homework. We're not even friends. So can you _drop it_?"

Mrs. Kiley shut up. She shrugged and began to collect the bowls in her arms. "Next time can you give us a head's up if he will be joining us for dinner?"

"There won't be a next time," Brynn muttered. "This was a onetime thing."

"Whatever you say."

Jonathan walked back to the dining room and sat back down before Brynn and her mother arrived. They passed out ice cream before sitting down. No more questions were aimed towards Jonathan. He quietly observed the family.

Once they had finished their dessert, Brynn stood up. "I should probably drop you off now."

He nodded in agreement. "Thank you for having me. It was nice to meet you."

Mr. Kiley stood up and walked them to the door. "Anytime, Jonathan. If you're ever interested in an internship, let me know. I'm sure we could find something for you to do at the company."

Jonathan forced a small smile. Mrs. Kiley stood in the doorway of the living room, her hawk-like eyes watching them. She plastered a fake smile on her face. "It was so nice to meet you, Jonathan."

"And you, Mrs. Kiley," Jonathan replied, his voice even. He held her gaze for a few seconds longer than necessary. The woman smiled her closed-lip smile one last time before disappearing into the living room.

Outside, it had begun to snow. Their shoes crunched as they walked to the car. Tiny flakes melted on Jonathan's skin.

As they drove down the street, Brynn finally spoke. "I am so sorry you had to sit through that."

Jonathan shrugged. "It wasn't that dreadful."

Brynn laughed. "It was for me. I was anticipating a fight to break out at some point." She reached for the knob on the radio and turned up the volume. A Christmas song filled the car. "My dad seemed to like you. I think you won him over by talking about Psychology and school."

Jonathan smirked. The conversation he had overheard in the kitchen returned to his mind. "Your mother isn't too fond of me."

Brynn glanced at him. Her face was darkened by the blackness engulfing the car. "You heard her talking in the kitchen, didn't you?"

"I might have."

Brynn clucked her tongue. "Don't mind her. My mother is…hard to win over."

"I won't let it gnaw on me too much," Jonathan said. Drowsiness settled over him like a blanket. "Besides—it was a onetime thing."

She didn't respond to her echoed words. The rest of the car ride was spent listening to the Christmas music and watching the snow fall outside. They arrived at the bus stop and Jonathan retrieved his suitcase from the backseat.

"Don't get mad at me for saying this," Brynn said suddenly.

"No promises."

She playfully stuck her tongue out at him. "Merry Christmas, brat."

She rolled her window up and drove off. Jonathan watched her taillights fade away into the darkness. Disappointment washed over him. He found himself wishing that the night had never ended. It hadn't been his ideal way of spending his night but it was a hundred times better than what he had to go home to.

Honestly…it hadn't been bad at all. He would do it again if given the option.

The things that went through his mind these days were beginning to surprise him.

**. . . **

_Olivia sat on the bathroom floor, her legs pressed against her chest. Her head was spinning and her stomach felt as though it would flip upside down. Outside, the phone rang and rang but she ignored it. The only thing she could focus on was the feel of her pounding heart. _

_That, and the tiny white stick on the counter. _

_It had read positive. _

_Positive. _

_Olivia's stomach began to twist again. _

_How could she…_

_But they'd been so…_

_So…._

_Careful._

_The tiny, pink plus sign was the thing all girls in her occupation feared the most. It was their curse, their undoing. Some girls knew right away who the father was. Others never found out. _

_Olivia knew who it belonged to. _

_The thought of him finding out sent chills down her spine. What would he do to her when he found out? What would he _say? _Charlie wouldn't want it. _She _didn't want it. What was she supposed to do with the thing?_

_With shaky arms, Olivia pulled herself off the ground and stumbled against the bathroom sink. Her skin was pale and tinted green and her eyes were bloodshot. The room still wreaked of vomit. _

_There was only one thing to do. Olivia unlocked the door and walked out to the living room. The air was humid, causing her hair to frizz up. She reached for the phone book on the coffee table. _

_She couldn't believe she was actually doing this. _It will never happen to _me_, _she used to think. And here she was, flipping through the phone book with shaking fingers. _

_It had to be done. There was nothing else she could do. _

_Olivia turned the page and searched for an abortion clinic. _

**. . .**

**A/N: Chapter 22! I just wrote this all in under twenty-four hours. Told you I was excited to write this scene. Now my back aches like a bitch and my eyes are stinging from staring at my computer for so long. Oh well, it was worth it. **

**Shout out to MorraHadon, ElektraMackenzie, dEnIsE tHe StRaNgE, Roxie13, Shannon, Amber, FieryLady36, eva, and Yusuke for reviewing! Shout out to everyone who has added the story to their alerts! You are all amazing! Seriously you guys, you're the best group of reviewers a writer could ask for. I love all the feedback you leave me and love hearing that you enjoy the story. I love you all!**

**Special shout out to Yusuke for going back and reviewing every chapter. You're the bomb :)**

**Every chapter I post is longer than the last. This was 24 pages and over 8,700 words. My fingers HURT.**

**Well, I finally got to write this chapter! It was very different from my first idea but I'm pleased with how it turned out. Jon finally met the family and is suspicious as to why Brynn looks nothing like them. There's also the fact that Madelynn doesn't seem too fond of Jonathan—that's going to play a big role in the story. **

**I mentioned this earlier, but there's going to be a short time lapse during freshman year. The next chapter will be in January when they get back from break. The chapter after that will be set in the middle of March. I'm trying to pick up the pace of the story so bear with me!**

**This might be the last update for a while. Not too long, maybe two or three weeks. I have last minute tests and studying this week as well as tryouts for the dance team. Wish me luck… The week after that are exams and then I am officially a junior. Then we can get back to updates being quicker! Hopefully. My laptop is provided by my school and they take it at the end of the school year to reimage it and I won't have it back probably until July. With that being said, updates will probably be a week apart for the first half of the summer because I'll have to type it on the family computer which means fighting off other people to use it. Joy…**

**That's all I have to say I think. I'm really tired now. Writing that in one day was not a smart idea haha. Hopefully you all enjoyed. Review, review, review, review, review and then **_**maybe **_**I'll have the motivation to crank out Chapter 23!**

**Until next time!**


	23. Chapter 23

**QUICK A/N: When I posted chapter 22, I didn't get a notification saying it was posted until about three days later. I'm not sure if anyone else had this happen so if the last chapter you read was about exams/Brendan cheating on Brynn, then you missed a chapter! **

**. . . **

_The clinic smells like cleaning products and plastic. _

_Olivia sat on a green leather chair, her bare legs sticking to the seat. The room was hot; it was towards the end of August and the temperature had spiked. Her hair was frizzy and stuck to the back of her neck. Olivia shifted, ignoring the sweat dampening the seat. _

_There were other women in there. A few of them read fashion magazines while others stared at the window. The walls were covered with posters, illustrating the inside of a uterus or promoting safe sex. A woman on a bike smiled at the camera. _Get tested for STDs today! _It read. _

_What was so exciting about STDs? Why was she _smiling?

_The green door next to the nurse's station that led to the back of the clinic opened. A girl who looked to be about fifteen sulked out. Her bottom lip trembled uncontrollably and she fought back tears. A choked sob escaped her throat as she walked out of the building._

_Olivia gulped. Her senses were suddenly acute. She could feel the way the leather of the seat stuck to her clammy thighs; the brightness of the room caused her eyes to burn; and the overwhelming scent of cleaning supplies made her stomach turn. Vomit threatened to rise from her stomach and dirty the floor. _

_A woman with thick glasses and a perm walked out, holding a clipboard. _

"_Rivers?" she called in a flat voice. Her watery eyes scanned the room. "Olivia Rivers?"_

_Olivia stood on shaky legs, her eyes darting around wildly. On the other side of the threshold, Olivia saw a metal surgical table. The sight nearly made her faint. _

_The image of the young girl leaving the clinic with her shaking lip flashed through her mind. Would Olivia be that way when it was over? An emotional train wreck?_

"_Come on, we don't have all day," the woman impatiently snapped. _

_Her eyes found the surgical table again. It gleamed menacingly, its surface cruel and uninviting. _

_Olivia spun on her heel and was out the door in a flash. _

**. . . **

Classes resumed in January and the students were welcomed back by grumpy teachers and two feet of snow. Foulness radiated off the professors who had been forced to abandon their fire places and families to teach another semester to uninterested students.

Despite the dark moods of their professors, the students were somewhat giddy to be back. Each and every student had a new sweater to show off or a new story to share. They would speak rapidly with wide eyes, wanting their stories to be heard before one of their classmates would interrupt with a story of their own. People rushed to spread the excitement, wanting everyone to envy the amazing time they'd had skiing or partying or whatnot.

Jonathan found it absolutely infuriating.

His break had been less than picturesque. After returning from the Kiley's home, he had been greeted by his fire-breathing grandmother. The woman had screeched at him for a good hour on the importance of being an obedient grandson and not disobeying his elders. Jonathan had stood by his story of working late on an extra-credit opportunity, but the woman could care less. After a few slaps to the face, he had been ordered to scrub the kitchen floors until they were spotless. By the time the clock struck four, Jonathan would have gratefully collapsed on the tile floor and slept there for the rest of break.

There had also been the fact that his neighbors were in town for the holidays. The Springboro twins, Vicki and Bobby, were a year younger than him but tormented him nonetheless. Jonathan would have to sprint whenever he went outside to avoid the snowballs they threw at him.

Ten percent of the snowballs ended up on the ground or in bushes. The other ninety-percent collided into his body, primarily his face and crotch.

Usually, he would be relieved to be returning to the university after a break from school. However, the foul moods of the teachers seemed to be rubbing off on him. He scowled more often and traded in walking for stomping.

Jonathan stomped down the sidewalk for his fourth class of the day. The ice on the sidewalk had him slipping and sliding, coming dangerously close to spraining his ankle on a few occasions. Another thing to add to the list of things Jonathan despised: snow. He hated the cold in general and always preferred the seasons of spring and autumn over the other two. It was the right temperature then; not too hot and not too cold. On that particular day, the temperature had dropped to a whopping nine degrees. Three sweaters and an overcoat failed to provide him any warmth.

Jonathan walked past a group of girls, his ears picking up on their conversations.

"AndIgotthreenewsweatersaskirtboots—"

"TheNewYear'spartywascrazyeveryonewasdrunkandohmyg od—"

"Youshould'vebeenthere—"

He wanted to strangle them all with their hair extensions.

As he imagined their eyes popping out of their heads, a voice from far behind caught his attention.

"Crane!"

He kept walking. Now was not the time to deal with them.

"Hey!"

He sped up. Maybe they would think it was someone else and leave him alone.

"_Braaaaaat!"_

The pace he had been walking was much too fast for the icy sidewalk. He stepped onto a particularly slick patch of ice and slipped, his arms flailing as he fell. Jonathan landed on his arse, the air _whooshing _from his lungs.

Explosive laughter followed.

"Oh my god!" Brynn howled as she hurried to catch up with him. She slowed when she reached the patch of ice. Tears leaked from the corners of her eyes and her face was bright red. "Are you _okay_?"

For a moment, he couldn't speak. Jonathan took deep breaths through his nose and recovered from the impact of the fall. When he looked up, his scowl had been replaced with a glare.

"Do you find this _funny_?"

She couldn't stop laughing. Brynn was doubled over, laughter pouring out of her mouth. "Holy shit, I think I just peed my pants!"

"You're vulgar," he hissed as he tried to pull himself up.

Brynn grabbed him by his arms and pulled him up. Jonathan immediately jerked back, shocked by the sudden contact. He nearly lost his balance for a second time but luckily recovered before falling into the snow bank behind him.

"Steady, Grace," she teased. A humorous glint lit up her dark eyes.

"Aren't you hysterical?" Jonathan growled. He groaned at the throbbing pain coming from his back side.

"I'm sorry," she gasped out. "That was the funniest thing I've seen all day."

Jonathan wiped the back of his coat off. "Glad I could entertain you. Goodbye, Brynn."

He turned from the older girl and cautiously walked down the sidewalk. Behind him, he heard footsteps.

"Oh, come on!" she laughed. "It was funny."

"Maybe for _you_."

She caught up with him and matched his pace. "Where are you going?"

"Class."

"No shit, smartass."

"How many times do I have to tell you how unattractive it is when you swear?" Jonathan muttered.

Brynn rolled her eyes in response. "I mean, what class are you going to?"

"Quantitative Analysis," he replied.

She made a gagging noise. "That sounds like a walk in the park."

A corner of his mouth turned up ever so slightly. "And where might you be headed?"

"Photography," Brynn happily told him. "Which sounds much more fun than Quan…Quantitative…uhhh…wherever you're going."

"Photography," Jonathan mused. "How useless."

"And what the hell do you plan on doing with Long-Ass-Analysis?"

"Many things."

"Uh huh." Brynn nodded. "Let me know how that goes for you."

Jonathan shook his head disbelievingly. Same old Brynn. She didn't understand the importance of knowledge and could care less. He couldn't wrap his head around the fact that she found learning to be useless.

He quickly glanced at her from the corner of his eye. Obviously her parents had treated her kindly for Christmas with new apparel. The sweats had been ditched for leggings and moccasin boots and her zip-up jackets had been replaced with an expensive looking coat. The new clothing would probably disappear in a week or so when she returned to her typical uniform.

"My dad's obsessed with you," she interrupted his thoughts.

Jonathan quirked his brows. "Obsessed?"

"He wouldn't stop talking about you over break. Said you should come over again and the two of you can discuss Psychology." Brynn snorted. "Way to win the guy over."

A gust of wind slapped Jonathan in the face. His teeth chattered uncontrollably and his eyes stung. _Two more months until spring, _he silently chanted. _Two more months…_

"Have fun in your rocket science class," Brynn joked. She turned down the sidewalk and headed in the direction of one of the smaller buildings. "See ya."

She bounced down the sidewalk, leaving Jonathan to feel disappointed. He wondered how often he would be seeing her this semester. Not often, most likely. Jonathan's classes mainly consisted of math and science, two things Brynn utterly despised.

He chased the thought from his mind, not sure why he felt upset over her departure. Relief should have been what he was feeling. Not having classes with Brynn Kiley meant he wouldn't have to listen to her whine twenty-four seven about how much she hated school. Hopefully he would be surrounded by classmates who actually enjoyed learning.

Jonathan entered the building where his Quantitative Analysis class was being taught. With a few minutes to kill, he began to review the notes from his Sociology class he had had earlier in the day.

The professor was a middle-aged woman with light brown hair. She quieted the students and began her introduction speech, informing the students of the typical workload, projects, etcetera. Once that was out of the way, she began roll call.

Hands were raised as she listed off names. She read through the last names that began with C and moved on to D. Jonathan frowned; maybe she had skipped over his name?

When she was finished, she looked up. "Did I miss anyone?"

Jonathan raised his hand.

The woman looked back down at her clipboard. His face flushed as the other students turned to stare at him.

"Name?"

"Jonathan Crane."

She muttered names to herself. "You're not on my list. You might want to go to the admissions office and see if they made a mistake with your schedule."

The professor nodded at the door and Jonathan unwillingly walked out of the class. He knew he was taking that class; he had his schedule memorized backwards. Bracing himself for the cold air outside, Jonathan started the long trek for the admissions office.

**. . . **

Jonathan brushed the snow out of his hair as he waited in the admissions office. Annoyance radiated off him as he impatiently waited for someone to assist him. The cramped office was messy and the desk was covered in paperwork, soda cans, and pictures of cats. The odor of the room made Jonathan wonder if cats lived under the desk and in the drawers. His nose twitched and he tried not to sneeze.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, hun," a plump woman walked into the office and plopped down in her chair. "What can I help you with today?"

"My professor sent me down here," Jonathan informed her. "She said I was not on the list."

"Not on the list?" she repeated.

"Yes."

The woman _humphed _as she opened one of her desk drawers. A large binder was retrieved and she began to flip through it.

"Name and class?"

"Jonathan Crane, Quantitative Analysis." His nose began to twitch again and he had to fight off the urge to sneeze.

She tapped her French manicure against the desk, the noise irritating Jonathan. "Nope, I don't see you… Let me check something else."

Another binder was pulled out and she searched through it for a good five minutes. By the time she finally looked up, Jonathan's throat felt as though it was constricting.

"Just as I thought," the woman said. She smiled. "The class was full so we must have pulled you out."

"Pulled me out?" Jonathan repeated. "Why wasn't I informed about this?"

She shrugged. "Perhaps you didn't get the memo?"

"Perhaps," Jonathan growled. "Why don't you just add me to a class that isn't full?"

She chomped on her gum loudly. "The entire course is full, no matter what time of day you take it." She looked back down at his file and frowned. "You have enough science classes; you could always take it next year?"

Jonathan didn't answer; he was fighting off the urge to slam her head against the desk.

She was oblivious to his angry demeanor. "I would suggest taking an art class. We have a wide variety to choose from!"

"_Art class_?"

"Not necessarily art." She tapped her chin. "There's theater and drawing and creative writing…"

An art class wasn't going to help him major in Psychology. Art was a waste of time, something that Jonathan had no use for. Art was the type of thing Brynn Kiley was into.

His brain stumbled over that thought and Jonathan quickly rewound back to it. Brynn was taking some form of art when he was supposed to have his Analysis class. What course was it…?

He couldn't believe he was actually saying this. The words came out difficultly and slowly. Each one made him cringe. "By any chance is there a…_photography_…class available…during this time of the day?"

She immediately lit up. "Why, I believe there is! Would you like me to sign you up for it?"

"I suppose."

"Dandy," she chirped. "You seem like the photography type."

_I highly doubt that_, he thought bitterly.

Something rubbed against Jonathan's leg and he jerked in his seat. An orange cat looked up at him with wide, green eyes.

The woman glanced over her desk. "Oh, don't mind Tabby. She doesn't bite."

"I'm allergic," Jonathan stated as he scooted his seat as far away as possible from the rodent.

The woman merely shrugged. "Congrats. You're officially signed up for Photography with Professor Fairmont."

**. . . **

Brynn sat next to Meredith White in the mess hall for dinner. On the opposite side of the table, Abby Tate braided Bethany McDoyle's hair and dished to her about some guy she had hooked up with over break.

"Was he a good kisser?" Bethany asked.

"God, no," Abby complained. "He practically ate my face. I mean, he was hot and all, but he _sucked _at kissing."

"Those are the—_ow!_—worst," Bethany winced as Abby pulled on her hair too hard.

Over break, Meredith had invited Brynn to hang out with her and her posse. She had heard all about the fiasco with Sydney and Brendan and had been nothing but supportive about it. Brynn could care less about Brendan; the only thing that really hurt was that Sydney had been the one he had been fooling around with.

The hurt had been replaced with anger. Brynn wanted to gag whenever the image of her ex-best friend straddling her ex-boyfriend came to mind. A good majority of break had been spent trash-talking Sydney. Best friends weren't supposed to do _that. _

Brynn chased away the thoughts, not wanting them to ruin her evening. During break, she had pledged to herself to not let it eat away at her. Sydney was a skank and Brynn could live without her. She had Meredith now.

Kristen Craft burst through the doors of the cafeteria and frantically looked around. She found the group of girls and scurried over to them. Her face was flushed, her charcoal-lined eyes wide.

"Oh my god," she exclaimed when she approached them. "You are not going to believe who just transferred here."

"Who?" they all asked in unison.

Kristen slid onto the bench next to Abby and Bethany. She looked around wildly before leaning in. She motioned for the girls to come closer.

"Who?" Abby whispered.

Kristen made a face and quickly squeaked, "Caitlin Marx."

Brynn had developed a habit of sputtering out liquids when around the group of girls. Her water sprayed out of her mouth and onto the front of Bethany's shirt. Had the circumstances been different, it would have been hilarious. Instead, the girls just stared at Kristen, their mouths hanging open. Bethany still hadn't registered the fact that her shirt was soaked due to her state of shock.

"Get out," Brynn exclaimed, breaking the silence. "You're lying."

"I swear, I'm not."

Meredith, who always kept quiet about disliking a person, grimaced. "Are you sure?"

"I'm positive!" Kristen squealed. "She's in one of my classes!"

"Motherfucker…" Brynn muttered as she cleaned up the water with a napkin.

Caitlin Marx had gone to St. Mary's with the girls and, hands down, had been the most hated girl at their school. The girl's traits ranged from being obnoxious, a gossiper, a tattle-tale, and a bitch. She was always sticking her nose in other people's business and spreading rumors. Part of the reason why Caitlin had been so strongly disliked was because of her mother. Nancy Marx had been a member on the PTO board and complained about _everything_. She complained about students, parents, teachers; she tried to get the dances cancelled because her daughter never had a date; and she was the kind of parent who would walk up to students who were mean to her daughter and yell at them in public. When Caitlin and Nancy were together, they would gang up on students. People would run in the other direction when they saw the two of them walking together.

Brynn had been one of the many victims to be criticized by Marx family.

Brynn had come to St. Mary's Middle School in the sixth grade, a few months after being adopted by the Kileys. Half the parents at the school knew who she was—either from following the trial and realizing that Brynn was Briana Rivers or because they were close with the Kileys and knew from them. At the time, Brynn had been a shy, quiet child who posed no threat. She barely ever said a word and would spend half the day in the nurse's office crying because she couldn't catch up with the curriculum and didn't know how to make friends. Most parents were sympathetic and offered to set up play dates for Brynn with their child. Others were sympathetic but didn't want their child associating with the daughter of a serial killer. And then there was Nancy Marx.

She could still remember the woman showing up at their front door, demanding that Brynn be pulled out of the school immediately. Brynn had discreetly watched from the top of the stairs as her mother threatened to call the authorities if Mrs. Marx didn't get off their property immediately.

"I'm warning you, Madelynn," Nancy said as she pointed her finger at the other woman. "Either you pull that demon-child out of my daughter's school or I will bring the matter into my own hands."

"And I'm warning _you_, Nancy, that if you aren't off my property in the next minute, I will be calling the police and charging you with trespassing," Madelynn had snarled. "_Leave_."

The memory still made Brynn shiver. The Marx had continually harassed her from sixth grade to her senior year. It had gotten to the point that St. Mary's principal had called a meeting with the two families and ordered Nancy to _lay off. _George and Madelynn had even threatened to get a restraining order against her.

Brynn supposed that being a bitch to Caitlin and egging their house hadn't really helped the situation.

"Ugh," Brynn groaned. She buried her face in her hands. "Of all people, _she _decides to transfer."

"She should just stay under a rock and never come out," Abby muttered. "Does she still look like a horse?"

Kristen snorted. "That's the other thing; she's decent looking now. She lost the 'stache and dyed her hair blonde."

"Are you _sure _it's Caitlin Marx?" Bethany questioned. "Because Caitlin and decent looking do not go together."

"Like I said, she's in one of my classes."

Brynn's sour mood escalated. "Fan_tastic_."

"Since we're on the topic of our favorite people," Bethany suddenly mumbled. "Look who's coming."

The other four girls looked up. Sydney was approaching their table, her eyes trained on Brynn. Her steps faltered as she approached the table and soon she was standing over them.

"Brynn," Sydney said carefully. "Can I talk to you?"

Brynn stared at the girl. Her heart was pumping wildly and the image from that night came back to her.

Sydney's eyes were pleading. "Please…"

Still, Brynn did not answer.

Abby coughed into her hand and said, "Skank."

Sydney flinched. Her jaw was taut and she shifted her feet. She was ready to make a run for it and her eyes darted towards the door.

Brynn looked at Meredith. Her friend stared at Sydney, her brown eyes disapproving. If she forgave Sydney, Meredith would have no respect for Brynn. It would only prove how much of a sucker Brynn could be. She didn't want to be known for giving in too easily. She didn't want to seem like she depended on Sydney.

But then again, Sydney looked pretty sincere and torn apart.

Brynn looked back and forth between both girls. She took a deep breath.

"You honestly think I want to talk to you after everything you've done?" Brynn quirked a brow and kept her voice even and light. She nodded at the doors. "Scram, _bitch._"

Laughter erupted from the other girls. Sydney's face fell and she ran off, pushing past a couple on her way out. Brynn watched as the girl hurried through the doors and disappeared into the night.

A hand patted her on the back. Brynn looked up; Meredith was smiling at her.

"Good choice," the girl praised her.

Brynn forced a weak smile on her face.

**. . . **

The next day, Jonathan walked across the snowy campus, taking his time. Class started at one, giving him a few minutes to spare. Part of him wanted to run in the other direction and beg the woman in the admissions office to squeeze him into one of the Quantitative Analysis classes; the other part of him told him that it was done and there was nothing he could do about it.

He forced himself to keep walking forward.

The sidewalk bisected with another sidewalk and Jonathan could see Brynn walking on the other sidewalk. He slowed his steps and pretended not to see her. As expected, she called out for him.

"_Brat!_"

Jonathan looked up, pretending to notice her for the first time. He paused and waited for her to meet up with him where the sidewalks intersected.

"I have a name, you know," he said to her when she arrived.

The older girl smiled happily and shrugged. "And now you have a nickname."

"Which happens to be '_Brat_.'"

"It could be worse."

The younger boy shook his head. A new layer of snow had covered the sidewalk while he had been eating lunch. Their shoes crunched over the soft layer.

"How was rocket science?" Brynn asked suddenly.

Jonathan looked at her and noticed for the first time that they were about the same height, maybe an inch or so apart. The fact made him frown. "I don't know. I wasn't there."

She beamed. "Jonathan Crane, did you _skip class_? Aww! I knew you'd eventually learn how to have fun!"

"I didn't _skip_ class," he defended. "It turns out that I wasn't actually enrolled so I had to switch classes."

"What are you taking now?"

Jonathan stared straight ahead and nonchalantly said, "Photography."

Brynn abruptly stopped and stared at him.

Then she erupted with laughter.

"What's so funny?" Jonathan snapped. His face burned. He didn't like it when she laughed at him.

"_You're _taking Photography class? _You_?"

"So?"

"If I remember correctly, you told me yesterday how useless you thought it was," Brynn accused. A smirk lit up her face.

He stood up straighter. "Yes, well, I needed a class to take. I still think it's useless."

Brynn snorted. "Hypocrite."

He sneered at her.

"Our class is…interesting," she told him. "I don't know anyone in it; everyone's either a stoner or a Goth. The teacher's pretty cool though. You probably won't like him."

"And why's that?"

"Because you hate laidback, care-free people," she said. They entered the building and Jonathan followed her down a hall. The walls were covered with paintings, sketches, photos, and collages.

The classroom was smaller than the lecture halls he spent his other classes in. Wooden tables were laid out in the room with stools surrounding them. The walls were covered with photos of everything—people, animals, landscape, soda bottles, shoe logos, and many other things.

They sat a table toward the back of the room. As they took their seats, a man with a brown ponytail wearing a Hawaiian shirt and khakis walked into the room.

"Hello, class!" the man boomed. He had a surprisingly deep, clear voice. Warm brown eyes swept over the room and beamed at his students. "I hope you've had a fantastic day so far."

His eyes landed on Jonathan and he lit up like a Christmas tree. "A new student? Wonderful!"

The other students turned in their seats to stare at him. Brynn hadn't been lying; half the kids were either clad in all black or looked like they'd just done acid. Jonathan quickly looked at his folded hands, not enjoying the sudden attention.

"Come to the front of the room and introduce yourself."

Jonathan's eyes widened. "That's okay…"

"No, come on!" their teacher motioned for him to come up. "Come, come."

Jonathan's fists clenched and he unwillingly walked to the front of the room. His face was the color of a fire engine. He leaned against the chalkboard and stared at their teacher.

"Why don't you tell us your name?"

"Jonathan."

"And what brings you here today, Jonathan?"

He looked at Brynn for help. What was he supposed to say, _I'm here against my will_? The older girl had her hands covering her mouth. She was trying not to fall out of her chair and die from laughing so hard.

He sighed and shrugged. "I like taking pictures."

"Wonderful!" the teacher exclaimed. He sure was high on life. "Can we get a round of applause for Jonathan?"

The students obediently clapped, some even snapped. Jonathan hurried back to his seat.

"I'll make this brief since you all heard it yesterday. So Jonathan, I'm Professor Fairmont but I never want you to call me that—you call me Roger. Understand?"

He lamely nodded.

"Good. Papers are not required to be written for this class nor will we take tests. You will have projects to do, however, and they will be assigned every other week. Sound good?"

"Great," Jonathan muttered. What class didn't have tests? This had to be a joke.

Roger walked over to his desk and rummaged through a drawer. He retrieved a disposable camera and handed it to Jonathan. "For now, you'll start off with that. Later, you'll receive a Polaroid camera."

Jonathan turned the tiny Kodak camera around and around. He accidentally pressed the button and was blinded by the flash.

"Let's get started!"

Brynn leaned over and whispered, "You're going to have a _blast_."

He glared at her. "I highly doubt that."

"Whatever you say, Brat," she snickered. Brynn faced forward and rested her chin on her hand as she listened to Roger speak.

Jonathan stared at her for a moment longer than necessary. She caught him and before he could look away, smirked and stuck her tongue out at him.

Heat pooled in his stomach, catching him off guard. Jonathan quickly turned away and stared at his clamped hands, completely unnerved by the sudden warmth.

It was going to be a long semester, he realized.

**. . . **

**A/N: A chapter, a chapter! I really didn't want to make you guys wait for two weeks for an update so Merry Christmas! It's short, but hey, it's something. Hopefully you guys enjoy it! Now I need to go cram for exams…**

**Shout out to Yusuke, Amber, AlainHotCoco1, Roxie13, ElektraMackenzie, Shannon, ShaydesofDarkness, MyLittleLolita, FieryLady36, and Katherine for reviewing, as well as the people who added the story to their alerts! ALMOST AT 200 REVIEWS! Keep 'em coming, you guys! They're really helpful and motivating :)**

**I finally figured out Brynn's career! Yay!**

**The time-lapse will most likely be in the next chapter, so we're transitioning from January to March. Also, I don't know if you guys have noticed this, but Brynn's problems primarily deal with things that have happened in the past/her mother and Jonathan deals with current problems like bullies. It's going to flip-flop. Brynn will deal with current problems (this Caitlin Marx character will have a large role) and Jonathan has to deal with past problems (his grandmother/past bullies/etc.). The flashbacks of Olivia will still be a large part of the story and Jonathan will still get bullied by Riley and Griffin. But yeah, things will be shifting. **

**The other night I was really bored and made an icon for the story. Not sure how I feel about it… I used older Brynn and Jonathan but I think I might switch to young Cillian Murphy/one of the actresses I've imagined Brynn to be like. I don't know. I really don't like the icon haha. Creating things on the computer is not my calling… If anyone wants to make one, feel free to! In the meantime, we'll just have to deal with my shitty artistic abilities. **

**That's all I have (I think). Fingers crossed for an update by next weekend! In the meantime, review! **


	24. Chapter 24

**QUICK A/N: BE SURE TO READ THE A/N AT THE END. THERE'S IMPORTANT INFORMATION!**

**. . .**

_Olivia spent the majority of her days lying in bed, staring out the window. Outside, a billboard advertising toothpaste displayed a smiling woman holding a tube of toothpaste. The wide eyes of the woman, accusing and triumphant, stared over the streets of the Narrows. It was as though she knew she was superior to all the poor souls living in that dump. _Here I am, happy as ever and on top of the world and there you are, pregnant and out of options, _the eyes of the woman screamed at Olivia. _

_She rolled over and stared at the chipping gray paint on the other wall. _

_Her roommate, Dee, walked into the room, chomping her bubble gum loudly. In her hand was the phone. _

"_Some guy," she chomped. "Wants to talk to ya."_

_Olivia already knew who it was. She shook her head and rolled onto her back. Cracks ran along the ceiling in all directions and water damage turned the once white plaster a shade of brown. _

"_She ain't home," Dee told Charlie finally. "Sorry."_

_She hung up and closed the door, leaving Olivia alone. Reluctantly, Olivia turned her head to look out the window once more. She was greeted by the cruel, taunting eyes of the toothpaste lady. _

Have fun raising that baby all by yourself!

_Olivia curled into a ball and fought the urge to cry. _

**. . . **

January and February came and went with March following close behind. The snow and ice started to melt but the cool air lingered, not yet ready to let the warmth of spring kick in. Fluffy white clouds decorated the sky. The students of Gotham were still unsure of whether or not those clouds were preparing to drop gallons of rain on them or another snow storm.

Jonathan's eyes traced over the clouds, storing every detail in his memory. The clouds were much more fascinating than whatever Professor Fair—_Roger_—was talking about. Hardly ever did Jonathan allow himself to become distracted during class. Photography was an exception—the class was pointless and would get him nowhere in life.

Rain splattered lightly against the glass windows. Jonathan sighed deeply, wanting nothing more than to go to his next class, which was Psychology.

"That should do it for today," Roger said, the words like music to Jonathan's ears. He yawned and cracked his knuckles, the noise causing him to wince.

"Before I forget," Roger began, "I have to tell you all about your upcoming project."

The class groaned. Jonathan found himself amongst his groaning peers. The thought of another Photography project sickened him. The last project had consisted of taking pictures of fruit at different angles. How was _that _important?

Next to him, Brynn lit up like a Christmas tree. She was one of the few who gained any excitement from Roger's pointless projects. She went above and beyond for each project, always gaining 'oohs' and 'ahs' from the class. It was obvious that she was teacher's pet. Roger praised her work at least several times a day. Brynn liked the attention, too. She tried to appear coy whenever he mentioned her work but failed horribly. Her mouth would twitch into a feint smirk, her dark eyes lit up triumphantly. The girl was anything but humble when it came to praise.

Jonathan wanted to knock the expression right off her face. He was accustomed to getting all the praise for his work. Being outshined by Brynn Kiley greatly annoyed him. He also deeply despised the warm feeling that grew in his stomach whenever Brynn arranged her features that way. The feeling was making an appearance more often. Needless to say, he didn't like it at all.

Roger began to erase the board. "For your next project, I'm giving you and a partner absolute freedom. The two of you are permitted to take pictures of whatever you like. It can be a picture of a stop sign, an ice cream cone, a fat professor." Snickers followed after his comment. "Anything you'd like. But no genitalia 'cause that's just creepy and I don't know why the hell you would want to turn a picture of that in."

The class broke out into raucous laughter. Jonathan's scowl deepened. He didn't understand how his classmates found the man humorous.

Roger turned to face the class. He placed his glasses on top of his head, pushing his hair out of his face. "I want you to look at your subjects from a different perspective. Try to find a hidden meaning to them or create a story about them. You will share your thoughts when you present your photos. Oh, and I hate to do this to you, but you're required to write a paper as well. Sorry."

Jonathan fought the urge to bang his forehead on the table. Stupid, meaningless, pointless class…

Roger began to split them up into partners. He walked over to their table and pointed at Brynn and Jonathan.

"Grupo de dos," he grouped them. His eyes flashed to Brynn. "I have no doubt that you'll deliver something inspiring, Miss Creativity."

As expected, the triumphant look spread across Brynn's face. She ducked her head and began doodling on her notebook, pretending to be distracted by her work. Jonathan discreetly watched as the corners of her mouth quirked up and her lips pursed. Her eyes gleamed like the eyes of a champion who just crossed the finish line. She was anything but subtle or modest. Victory radiated off her like vapor on a hot road in July.

Jonathan turned away and rolled his pencil around and around in his fingers. He hated that expression. _Despised _it. _I hate it, I hate it, I hate it_, he silently chanted, but below the roar in his head, a tiny whisper quietly confessed _I adore it. _

He jerked when the warmth returned to his stomach. It rolled and tripped inside him making him feel sick. Something had to be done about it. And _soon. _

Brynn poked the side of his forehead. It took all his effort not to push her off the stool and run to the other side of the room. "When do you want to get together to work on this?"

Jonathan refused to look at her. Looking at her would only irritate him further. "I don't care."

She clucked her tongue. "Could you sound any more acidic?"

He glared at her.

Brynn shrugged, unbothered by his mental daggers. "Friday, then?"

"Sure."

The clock struck two and students began to collect their binders and books and head out. Jonathan hurriedly collected his things and scurried for the door, only to have his books knocked out of his hands by one of the stoners. The imbecile didn't even stop to glance back at the mess he caused.

Jonathan muttered as he began to reorganize his things. Out of his peripheral vision, he saw a pair of Nike gym shoes stop beside him. He froze as Brynn bent down to help gather his things. The sudden proximity was unsettling for him.

She placed the books on top of his stack once he was on his feet. Jonathan muttered a thank you, his voice dripping with annoyance. He attempted to hurry past her. She was faster and soon was walking backwards, facing him.

"Did someone wake up on the wrong side of the bed this morning?" she teased.

Jonathan scowled at her. "Have I ever told you how childlike you can be?"

"I've lost track of how many times you've mentioned it."

"And still it hasn't hit you that your demeanor is positively frustrating and obnoxious," he fired back.

Brynn blocked the door. "Yeah, sure, try to sound better than the rest of us with your big, knowledgeable words."

They stared at each other for a moment, sizing up one another. In the end, Jonathan won. Brynn looked away and Jonathan felt victorious. He was back to making her feel uncomfortable.

"If you'd be so kind to move," Jonathan said in a sugar-coated voice. He withheld a chuckle when he saw her nose twitch angrily.

Brynn swung the door open. "After you."

She followed him out. Over the last two months, Brynn had developed a habit of walking to class with Jonathan. He went to his Psychology class and she headed off to Economics, a class that she whined about constantly. He would listen to her complain about class or other matters like the weather or some Caitlin girl. Jonathan would remain quiet up until they reached the elevator at which point he would chastise her for whining about such trivial things.

"So I was thinking," Brynn began. She quickened her pace to match his and they walked shoulder to shoulder. "About our project."

Jonathan nodded. "Go on."

"Well, Roger said to take pictures of things and look at them from a different perspective," she began. "Instead of us taking pictures of separate things and giving individual analyses, why not take pictures of the same things and have contrasting thoughts on them? You'd feel one way about a flower pot and I'd feel another. We could take pictures from different angles, too. You could be far away, I'd be up close."

"Does it really matter where we take our pictures from?"

"Of course it does. If mine's up close, the audience is only focusing on the flower pot. With yours being far away, there would be other things included and that could add more to the story."

"What _story?_" he asked. "It's just a picture, I don't see how there's some backstory to go with it."

"You're awfully unappreciative today," she snickered.

"I'm not unappreciative," he defended. "I just think this is a pointless class."

She rolled her eyes at his comment. "Then why are you taking it?"

"I told you, I need the credits," he said a bit too quickly. "I suppose your idea's a good one. You are _Miss Creativity._"

Her face reddened. "Shut up."

"He adores you."

"Does not."

"He does," Jonathan teased. "And you love the attention."

"I do not!"

Jonathan barked out a laugh. "You wear your pride like a second skin. You _love _the attention, Brynn. Stop trying to hide it, you're a horrible liar."

She sneered at him as they walked through the main building and into the elevator. The sleek doors closed behind them and soon they were being pulled up by the shaky box. Brynn casually leaned against the wall while Jonathan clenched his teeth and gripped the railing.

"The rope's going to snap any day," he muttered, instantly regretting his words. The moment they flew out of his mouth, Brynn began to jump up and down.

"Today might be the day!" she hollered. The box shook dangerously as Brynn bounced around like a kangaroo. Jonathan's stomach rolled and he begged himself not to throw up.

Thankfully, the doors opened and Jonathan ran out, not wanting to spend another second in the metal death box with her. Brynn grinned happily.

"You might want to take the stairs next time," she said before the doors closed and she disappeared.

Jonathan shook his head, wondering why he put up with her nonsense and walked to class.

**. . . **

The weather cleared up in the afternoon and the sun broke through the clouds. Brynn and Dominic sat on a bench by the campus green, sharing a bag of popcorn. A family of ducks had wandered up to them and snatched up the pieces of popcorn that were dropped.

Dominic rambled on about some girl who had rejected him the previous night. Brynn absentmindedly nodded, throwing in 'uh-huhs' and 'mm-hmms' every now and then.

"And she had to make a huge show of rejecting me," Dominic whined. "Went on about all this crap about how she didn't date guys who eat meat and watch war movies."

"Uh-huh."

"Are you even listening?"

"Uh-huh."

"What's the date?"

"Uh-huh."

Dominic leaned over and flicked her on the forehead. She swatted at him and scowled.

"I was listening," she muttered.

"I didn't realize today was 'uh-huh,'" he teased.

"Shut up." Brynn dug her hand into the bag of popcorn and flung it at the ducks. They went wild, diving in every direction to gobble up the tiny treats.

"I'm assuming you didn't hear what I told you about last night?"

"No, I heard it all."

"Don't you think it was ridiculous? Girls _like _guys who eat meat and watch ESPN and whatnot."

Brynn shrugged. "She probably had standards."

"I don't meet those standards?"

"Well, maybe not hers."

"Now I'm not good enough?"

"Oh my god, Dom," Brynn sighed dramatically. "You're a great guy but maybe she doesn't like the ESPN watching type. Not all girls do. Some of us like the sensitive, poetic type. Or the studious type—"

"Speaking of the studious type, what's up with you and Jonathan Crane lately?"

Brynn stared at him questioningly. "Nothing's up."

"_Something's _up."

"And why's that?"

"The two of you are inseparable now," Dominic replied. He narrowed his eyes. "Does Brynn have a thing for the studious type…?"

"Ew, no," she said quickly. "God, Jonathan Crane? Are you kidding me?"

He shrugged. For a while, they were silent and Brynn could hear a fire truck siren in the distance. It was followed by the whining sound of a police car. She shivered; sometimes she forgot she was in Gotham and what a dangerous place it could be.

"Why are you guys hanging out anyway?" Dominic broke the silence.

She stared down at her tennis shoes. "I don't know. We walk to class and stuff."

"And stuff? What's that mean?"

"_Nothing_, Dom," Brynn snapped. "Can you drop it?"

He shifted on the bench so he was facing her. Brynn looked away from his prying eyes. Being scrutinized by others made her uncomfortable, especially when she was in trouble over something.

"I'm just trying to figure out," he said quietly, "why you would want to hang out with a freak like him."

Anger bubbled inside of her. "Have you ever taken the time to talk to him? He's really not as bad as you guys think he is."

Dominic intertwined his fingers, a habit he did when he was frustrated. "There's a reason why none of us talked to him."

"Well, maybe if you had tried—"

"Brynn," he cut her off. Dominic sighed and ran his hands over his face. "I went to school with him for several years. I know what Jonathan Crane is like. Had you gone to school with us, you would have avoided him, too."

"Yeah? What makes him so bad?"

The look on his face said _Are you kidding me? _"Fine," he muttered. "Let's brief little Brynnigans on Jonathan Crane, Resident Creeper."

She crossed her arms over her chest. "I'm all ears."

He lifted his fingers as he listed off reasons. "One: he's a total jerk. Whenever people attempted to be nice to him, he'd shut them down and usually find some way to insult them. Sophomore year, he had to tutor some freshman for math and after the first session, she left _crying. _He always offended people who he thought weren't as smart as him—which was _everyone_. Even the teachers, he'd criticize.

"Two: The kid's a stalker. He follows people around and watches them. I can't even count how many times I'd go somewhere and Jonathan would just be sitting in a corner watching. I'm surprised he never tried to sneak into the girl's restroom—"

"That's just Jonathan," Brynn interrupted. "Yeah, he can be a jerk and shoot you down sometimes but you guys aren't any better to him."

"You didn't deny the fact that he's creepy."

Brynn shifted around in her seat and threw more popcorn at the ducks. A piece bounced off one of their beaks. "Eh, he's just…well…he doesn't really know how to socialize…"

A smile formed on Dominic's face. Brynn slumped in her seat. She wasn't doing a very good job of defending the kid. She was just adding to the list of reasons why not to like him.

"Is that it? He's just awkward and mean?" Brynn mumbled.

"There's also the matter of his family."

Her ears perked up and Brynn was suddenly interested with what he had to say. She only knew bits and pieces about Jonathan's home life. From what she had learned, he lived with a relative. Other than that, she was pretty clueless.

"What about his family?" she asked, trying to sound as nonchalant as possible.

"Oh, so _now _you're interested with what I have to say," Dominic teased.

"Can you just tell me already?" Brynn snapped.

Dominic snickered. "He lives with his grandma who happens to be a huge bitch. My younger brother went to their neighbor's house once and I guess she screamed at them for a half hour because their baseball rolled into her yard."

"Yikes," Brynn muttered.

"And his mom's crazy."

"I thought he didn't have parents?" She remembered Serena Lamar telling her at one of their sleepovers a while back that his parents weren't in the picture. Brynn had always assumed they were dead or something.

"They don't live with him. I guess his dad walked out on them when he was born. And his mom's in jail. Child service's had to get involved a while back—"

"Woah, woah, woah," Brynn stopped him and held her hands up. "Did you just say his mom's in _jail_?"

"Yeah. She was a drug dealer or something." Dominic shrugged. "I think this is her third time in jail. Last time they picked her up for breaking and entering."

_Maybe our moms are share a cell together, _Brynn thought bitterly. Instead of speaking her thoughts aloud, she said, "That's unfortunate."

"It's sad and I feel bad for him, but it goes to show how fucked in the head he is," he said. "Brynn, look. The kid's a weirdo with a bad family history. He's not the best person to be associating with."

Brynn turned to him and said, "I guess the kids with the bad pasts tend to get along better."

"Brynn—"

"Forget it," she pretended to shrug it off. "I'll reconsider hanging out with him so often."

He looked a tiny bit relieved. "Thank you. What had we been talking about before?"

"That girl who has standards?"

"_No one _has standards. Everyone claims to have standards and certain people they would never even consider getting together with and then _bam! _They sleep with the one person they say they would never come within twenty feet of."

Brynn chuckled. "That's a way to look at it."

"Why do you think the divorce rate's so high? Everyone's getting married to people below their 'standards.'"

"That's not true," Brynn argued. "I'm sure you could find someone who actually follows their standards."

"Brynn." Dominic tilted his head to the side and gave her a casual grin. "Ninety-five percent of the people at this school screw anything that walks. Standards don't exist."

"Speaking of people who will screw anything that walks," Brynn began. "Look who it is."

Dominic followed Brynn's line of vision. Standing on the opposite side of the green, surrounded by three different guys, was Caitlin Marx. She sat on the low, stone wall, her bleach blonde hair pushed behind her ears. A cigarette was held in one of her hands.

"Bleh," Dominic gagged. "That girl is the perfect example of white trash."

"I'm surprised they're willfully hanging out with her," Brynn sneered. "Most people wouldn't do it for a million dollars."

Caitlin looked up and caught them staring at her. She scowled directly at Brynn before flipping her the finger. The boys around her laughed like hyenas, wildly amused by her behavior.

"Classy," Brynn muttered. "Wait until Nancy finds out that her daughter's a total whore. She'll just be _ecstatic._"

Dominic chuckled at Brynn's foul mood. He tossed the last handful of popcorn at the ducks. "She's probably contracted herpes."

Brynn shook her head. "The world isn't _that _nice. That would be like getting an expensive car on your thirteenth birthday. I doubt anything's going to get rid of her that easily."

"I don't know," Dominic replied. "This has been a good year so far. Maybe we'll get lucky and she'll get hit by a bus or obliterated by a laser beam."

Brynn smiled at her friend. "Fingers crossed."

**. . . **

_Olivia walked out of her apartment and took the stairs to the lobby. Her stomach growled threateningly, reminding her that she had to eat for two now. A heavy feeling sank to the bottom of her stomach and she tried not to think about the curse that had been bestowed upon her. _

_She reached the lobby and made a beeline for the doors. Before her palm met the glass, a hand gently gripped her shoulder and gave her a squeeze. _

"_I have something at the front desk for you, Miss Rivers," the deskman informed her. _

_She shifted her purse on her shoulder. "Oh?"_

_He walked behind the desk and retrieved a crisp, white envelope. Her name was scribbled across the front in an almost illegible font. _

_She thanked the deskman and walked to a corner of the room to read it. As soon as her eyes landed on the note, her stomach sank to her toes._

Olivia,

Something's up, I can tell. You haven't responded to my calls for the last week. I don't know if you're busy or if you don't want to speak to me. Please tell me if I did something wrong. I miss you, Liv. If I did in fact do something, at least let me know so I can apologize. If it's space you want, I can respect that, but please, just get in touch with me and let me know that you're alright. One call is all I'm asking for.

Charlie

_Her gut twisted painfully and Olivia had to blink back tears. All she wanted was to go over there now and tell him everything. She wanted to break down in his arms and have him tell her everything would be alright. She didn't want this baby. Charlie could fix this situation, couldn't he? He could make it disappear. Everything would be alright if she went to him. He would know what to do. _

_No. No, that wasn't an option. Olivia knew all too well what happened to the girls who got pregnant on the job. They were rejected and stomped on. They were the ones who always came back to the apartments, a shivering mess. The slightest touch could send them collapsing to the floor in a sobbing heap. No. Olivia wouldn't risk the rejection. She would never speak to Charles Branden again. If she had to, she would leave the city and change her name. She would put the baby up for adoption and then go back to her old life. Everything would be okay. _

_Olivia gulped and forced herself to count to ten. When she finished, she pushed all thoughts of Charles and the pregnancy from her mind. She then went to the grocery store to buy some strawberries to satisfy her craving. _

. . .

**A/N: Aah, this chapter was up later than I'd hoped. Sorry it was kind of a filler, I promise the next chapter will be longer and more exciting. **

**Exams didn't kill me! Just my grades, but not me haha…**

**HOLY REVIEWS! WE REACHED 200 (201 to be exact)! I love you all! Shout out to stephaniekit, ShaydesofDarkness, ElektraMackenzie, AlainHotCoco1, Amber, maliumpkinss, fgdfgdf, lovely-logic, dEnIsE tHe StRaNgE,** **jdjkzjd, smily, muriel3d, Yusuke, Roxie13, jix, holiday, master of fear, and widdlehiddles for the reviews! Thank you everyone who added the story to their alerts! You have no idea how blessed I feel because of you guys. All the feedback you leave is greatly appreciated and motivating. There aren't enough words to express my gratitude so I hope you all know how lucky I am to have you guys. **

**The story's success is due to you guys. The only part I play in it is writing it so all the thanks is due to the reviewers. With that being said, I've decided I'm going to write a sneak preview of an upcoming scene for you guys. I don't know how long it will be, probably the typical length of one scene in the story. I'm letting you guys choose the scene. I'll either write a scene that takes place sophomore year and you'll get an idea of how Brynn changes over the summer as well as Jonathan. OR I'll write a scene that would take place during **_**Batman Begins**_**. The only thing is that it's not a 100% guarantee that it will actually make an appearance in the story. The plot changes every now and then. But if those scenes aren't in the story later, there will be very similar scenes. I'll post a poll on my profile or you can just tell me which one you want in the review. In the next update, I'll tell you which one I'll be writing and then I'll just post it separately from the story sometime after that update. I'll be sure to let you know though. But thank you, thank you, **_**thank you **_**for all the feedback you guys. You're all absolutely amazing!**

**GO SEE **_**THE GREAT GATSBY. **_**It's amazing and the scenery will leave you mind blown and the cast was perfect. If it doesn't win Leo his Oscar, I'm flying to Hollywood and throwing watermelons at the people responsible for choosing who wins. Feel free to join me, we can sing songs and see who throws their melons the farthest/hardest. **

**That's all I have. I promise updates will be sooner. Read and review! And don't forget to tell me which scene you'd want me to write! **


	25. Chapter 25

_Another week passed. Olivia continued to ignore Charles' calls and letters. She was hoping he would forget about her existence and leave her alone. _

_Over the course of that week, Olivia had planned out what she would need to do with this baby. At the end of the month, she would move to Metropolis and hopefully find a job. For the duration of her pregnancy, she would work there under a different name, find a family willing to adopt her unborn child, and forget about Charles Branden. She would get rid of the thing the moment it was out of her and would be on the next train back to Gotham. By then, Charles would have forgotten about her and moved on with his life. _

_She could only hope for the best. _

_Olivia stood in the kitchen and rummaged through the freezer in search of the strawberry ice cream she had purchased the previous night. A knock on the front door interrupted her search. _

"_Just a minute," she called as she continued to dig. "I swear, if Dee ate it…Nope, here it is."_

_She grabbed a spoon and ran for the door with her ice cream in hand. After undoing the lock, she swung open the heavy door and nearly dropped her food. _

"_Charles," she squeaked out. "W-what are you doing here?"_

_The man leaned against the doorframe. His light green eyes were bloodshot and stubble was growing along his jawline. _

"_I need to talk to you," he said quietly. _

_Olivia frowned. This wasn't supposed to happen. He wasn't supposed to be on her doorstep. How had her perfectly laid out plan fallen apart so quickly? _

_He would want an explanation and by the looks of it, he wasn't leaving without one. Olivia swallowed nervously. "You shouldn't be here."_

_He ignored her statement. "Can I come in?"_

"_I don't think so."_

_The older man sighed. "Olivia—"_

"_I have nothing to say to you, Charles," she firmly stated. _

_He looked deflated and she fought the desire to throw her arms around his neck and make him feel better. _No! _her conscience screamed. _He's the one who got you into this predicament. Don't comfort him.

"_That's it, then?" he managed to get out. Charles looked down at her, his face serious, his eyes pleading. "Two weeks without a single word and you're just calling it off?"_

"_What is it that you get from this relationship?" she exclaimed. There was nothing to it! She was his hooker, he was her client. _

_Saying it made the situation seem easier. Inside, she could feel her heart being torn to pieces. No one had ever made her feel the way he did. No one had ever truly cared like he did…_

Stop it.

_Charles looked angry now. He took a shaky breath, trying to compose himself. "Are you even going to give me an answer as to why you're ending it?"_

_She opened her mouth but no sound came out. Mentally, she kicked herself. It hadn't even occurred to her that he would want an explanation. She didn't have a lie on hand and she doubted telling him she had gotten bored with him would be a satisfactory answer. _

_Olivia was left speechless. She stared down at her shoes shamefully. _

"_Is it because of your occupation?" he quietly asked. "Do you think you're just my whore or something?"_

"_Yes, Charles," she spat out. "That's all I am and that's all I ever will be."_

"_That's not true, Olivia," he snapped. "I know you don't believe me when I say it, but I do not view you that way. You're not just some whore I got off the streets, I genuinely care—"_

"_But that's exactly what I am!" she cried. Olivia pressed her hands to her face, failing to fight off the tears. In a muffled voice, she added, "That's all I am. A dirty whore you got off the streets."_

_His hands gently wrapped around her wrists. "It doesn't have to be that way."_

_Olivia jerked back and angrily wiped at the tears. "But it is, Charles! Look at us! You're a wealthy man and I'm a _slut. _Even if we tried to make it happen, it would never work."_

_She retreated back into the apartment, not wanting him to see her cry. Charles followed and closed the door behind them. He licked his lips, frustrated by her stubbornness._

"_Listen to me," he said carefully. "I don't care what anyone else thinks about us. I know how I feel about you and I want you in my life."_

"_You have a wife," she choked out. _

"_Don't talk about her," Charlie snapped. She instantly shut up and stared at him, suddenly afraid. "I never want to hear you speak of her. The only thing that keeps us together is a marriage contract. Our marriage ended long ago."_

"_Then why are you still with her?" she demanded. _

_Charlie looked away. "It's complicated…"_

"_I'm sure it is," she hissed. "You know what else is complicated? Engaging in relationships with your mistress. Like I said, it would never work."_

"_Olivia, I haven't felt this way about any other—"_

"_It's lust," she interrupted. _

"_Woman," he continued. "I know the difference between lust and lo—"_

"_Don't you _dare_ give me that bullshit!" she warned. The tears were coming out uncontrollably and she was beginning to lose her grip on her sanity. "You know how many girls in this profession have been told I love you? You know what _happens _to them? They're cheated. They are promised love and that their man will leave their wife. They're promised stability and love and a safe haven but it _never _happens. At the end of the day, we're screwed over. You guys never truly want us. We're just toys for your entertainment. You think you love me? No, you just want a distraction from your wife. You could never truly care for me, Charles Branden. You will never love me, you will never want me, you will never want this child—"_

_She stopped as soon as she realized what had slipped out. Her breathing was ragged and her heart thundered against her chest. Charlie looked just as shocked as her. _

"_What did you just say?" he whispered. _

_She didn't respond. _

"_Olivia," he said sternly. His eyes were wide. "_What did you just say_?"_

"_I…I…" she whimpered. Her face contorted and she whispered, "Pregnant."_

_The air between them was tense. A pin dropped outside the hallway could break the deathly silence. Charlie stared at her, his jaw hanging. _

"_Pregnant?"_

_All she could do was nod. _

"_With…my…child?"_

_The sobs broke through her mouth. She nodded again. _

_Charlie looked as though he had seen a ghost. "I…I…" He shook his head and backed away. "I need to go."_

_He hurried out of the apartment and slammed the door behind him. Olivia's sobs echoed through the apartment. She slid down the wall and buried her face in her knees, unable to stop the tears. _

**. . . **

Jonathan impatiently waited on the stone wall outside the main building for Brynn to arrive. It shouldn't have surprised him that she was over fifteen minutes late. When had she _ever _been on time for _anything_? Punctuality wasn't the girl's strongest point.

After twenty minutes, he was beginning to wonder if she had stood him up. She hadn't been as open with him for the last few days and Jonathan found it frustrating. The last few months all she ever did was talk nonstop and now she wouldn't say more than five words to him. For a moment, he had assumed that they were on good terms and were beginning to get along. Had he really thought he could ever be on good terms with a girl like Brynn?

The warm sun shining on his face made him drowsy. Jonathan shifted on the wall and lied down, covering his face with his Psychology text book. What was up with him lately? Why did he care so much about what she thought and what she had to say? And why on earth did he feel all warm whenever he thought about her?

The warmth angered him like no other. It snuck up on him at the most inconvenient times, starting in his stomach and twisting its way to his face, arms, legs, wherever it could reach. He had never experienced anything like it. It was getting worse, too. What had started off as a warm, tickling feeling in his stomach was transforming into an uncomfortably hot sensation that invaded every inch of his being. And it was all because of _her. _

He was beginning to wonder if she knew about the warmth and was worsening it on purpose. That had to be it. That explained why she had been acting so casual around him for the past two months. She knew how uncomfortable she made him with those teasing smirks and gestures and outrageous actions. The things she did unsettled him—half the time he found himself hating what she did; the other half, he couldn't get enough of it and wanted her to keep acting that way, to keep teasing him and driving him mad. The whole ordeal confused him horribly.

_Snap out of it! _He mentally screamed. He couldn't keep thinking this way. He had to get her out of his head.

Jonathan was beginning to think of all the negative things about her when he heard someone running up to him. The noise startled him and he jerked up, his textbook, as well as his glasses, falling to the ground.

"I'msosorry," Brynn gasped out. She doubled over and tried to catch her breath. Then she lifted a brown paper bag. "I got—bagels—and the line—was out the door."

Jonathan shook his head and jumped off the wall, blindly searching for his glasses. "Were bagels necessary?"

"_Bagels are always necessary!" _

She controlled her breathing and stood up straight again. Brynn reached into the bag and fished around. "I wasn't sure what kind you'd like so I got you a plain one."

Jonathan took it from her. "Thanks?"

She nodded. Brynn took out her own bagel and bit into it. "Did you bring your camera?"

"Don't talk with your mouth full," he scolded her. "And yes, I brought it. Where did you want to start?"

Brynn swallowed and took a sip of the Coke she'd brought with her. "Hmm. I was thinking we could go out to the soccer fields. I saw some flowers blooming out there. Then we can move closer to the shops and take pictures of that."

"Works for me," he agreed.

Brynn led him away from the main building toward the fields. He trailed behind, observing. She seemed cheerful and light, excited to be working with film and the elements around her. There was a slight bounce in her step and she hurried once the fields were in sight. He couldn't understand what joy she found in this hobby. To him, it was a silly waste of time.

For the next twenty minutes, they clicked and snapped, capturing pictures of whatever caught their eye. Jonathan would take pictures at random, unsure of what he was supposed to be looking for. Brynn, on the other hand, was clicking nonstop, finding meaning in everything. The soccer net. _Click. _A tree off to their right. _Click, click. _The buildings of downtown Gotham that could be seen behind the trees. _Click, click, click, click, click. _

Jonathan stopped taking pictures and watched. Brynn was in the zone; she worked silently, her eyes constantly searching for a new subject. This was the first time he had witnessed her so…focused. It was interesting, observing her. It was like seeing her from a new perspective for the first time.

He was beginning to understand the meaning of the project.

Brynn finished up in the field and they headed off in the direction of the shops and restaurants. Jonathan walked with his hands in his pockets, silently observing. Her brow was furrowed as she flipped through the pictures she had taken, silently muttering to herself.

"You have an eye," Jonathan broke the silence, surprised by the compliment that had just slipped out of his mouth.

"Two, actually," Brynn replied.

He ignored her sarcastic remark. "Do you do this often? Walk around and take pictures of…whatever?"

"It's not 'whatever,'" she scolded him. "It's art. And not as often as I used to. School's gotten in the way."

"But you have time for partying?"

She didn't respond.

"That's what I thought," he smugly replied.

"Shut up, Brat," she fired back.

Jonathan frowned. "Of all the nicknames you could have given me, it's Brat."

"What do you want it to be?"

"I don't want a nickname at all."

"You have to have one."

"Why?" he asked.

"Your name's too long," Brynn said.

"It's only three syllables—"

"That's two syllables too many," she cut him off. "You need a nickname."

Jonathan crossed his arms over his chest. "Fine. What's my new name?"

"Bitchface."

"_Brynn…"_

She snickered. "_Kidding! _Hmm, let's see… I hate the name Jon. It's too boring and plain."

"Then don't use Jon."

_Why on earth are you letting her give you a _pet name_? _his logic shrieked. He shushed the voice inside his head and patiently waited to be renamed. The warmth was back and for once, he wasn't trying to dismiss it. He allowed it to grow inside him and course through his veins.

"What about—" Brynn abruptly stopped and froze. She grabbed Jonathan by the back of his sweater and pulled him back. Before he could protest, she pressed her finger to her lips.

"What are you doing?" he whispered.

She pointed to a bush. "_Bunny_."

Sure enough, there was a fat, brown rabbit nibbling on a flower. It was oblivious that Brynn and Jonathan were in its presence. Brynn readied her camera.

"I want a picture," she whispered.

"Get a pictu—what are you doing?"

Brynn sank to the ground and crawled army style toward the rabbit. She turned around and motioned for Jonathan to follow.

"I'm not—"

She glared at him.

He sighed before dropping to his knees and crawling to her. This had to stop, he realized. He gave into her too easily.

"Could you be any louder?" she hissed. Brynn turned away and started clicking her camera. Jonathan lied next to her on his stomach, his chin resting on his hands. He watched the rabbit's nose twitch as soon as it realized it was being watched. The animal froze and its huge ears perked up. It stared at them for a few seconds before turning its attention back to its flower. _Stupid thing, _Jonathan thought. It should have scurried off when it realized there was a possible threat.

The grass made his skin itch. Jonathan's nose began to twitch violently. He fought the urge to sneeze, knowing that he would anger Brynn if he scared off the rabbit. He lost the fight in the end.

"_Achoo!_" he sneezed loudly.

The rabbit darted into the bushes. Brynn glared at him and flicked him on the forehead. "Way to go."

"I have allergies," he muttered.

Brynn rolled onto her back and began to inspect the pictures she had snapped. She muttered about the sun ruining one picture and another one being blurry. Finally, she sat up and look down at him.

"I've got it," she happily announced. There was a sparkle in her eyes and the sun bounced off her hair, causing it to shine.

"What?" he asked, confused by her sudden cheeriness.

"Your nickname," she explained as she stood up and wiped the grass off her shorts. "I have it."

"Oh," he replied as he pulled himself up. Dread washed over him. She was going to give him some ridiculous, crude nickname. How many of those had he acquired over the years?

"Jay," she surprised him.

"Jay?" Jonathan made a face. Well it was better than _Bitchface_…

"What? How do you not like it?"

He had come back to his senses and mentally kicked himself for allowing her to give him a nickname. He was a stupid fool. Jonathan arranged his features so he appeared bored. "I don't see why you can't use my actual name."

"Too long," she reminded him. That devilish smirk appeared on her face again. "Jay's a great nickname. It's cool and stylish."

"Stylish?" Jonathan flatly asked.

She nodded. "It's either Jay or Brat."

Jonathan huffed. "Don't overuse it."

She squealed with delight. "Okay, Jay."

He rolled his eyes. "I'm beginning to miss Brat…"

She stuck her tongue out at him and led him to town. For the remainder of the hour, they took pictures of the shops, benches, and other things. Jonathan estimated that Brynn had taken over a thousand photos during their time together. His rounded up to about fifteen.

Jonathan rubbed his eyes. Exhaustion was kicking in after the long session. He rolled his shoulders around and stretched out his arms.

Brynn's energy level was dropping as well. She yawned and looked at the younger boy. "What time is it?"

Jonathan checked his watch. "Quarter after."

"Shit," she muttered. "I have to meet up with Dominic and Terrence. We have enough, don't you think?"

Jonathan nodded. He tried not to let the fact that she was leaving him to hang out with those idiots bother him.

He removed his glasses and cleaned them with his sweater. "That wasn't as pointless as I had imagined. When will we finish this up?"

"I was thinking Sunday—" she paused and stared at him. "Take your glasses off again."

Jonathan's brow quirked up. "Why?"

She didn't give an explanation. Instead, she reached forward and snatched them. Jonathan blinked a few times as he adjusted his vision. The world around him was blurry.

"What are you doing, Brynn?" he snapped. "Give me my glasses back."

"Hold still," she muttered. She placed his glasses on top of her head, pushing her hair out of her face. "I want a picture."

"Of what?"

"Your eyes."

"_My eyes?"_

"Did I stutter?"

Jonathan stared at her incredulously. "Why on earth do you want a picture of my eyes?"

"Can I just take the picture?"

He sighed. "This is a waste of time—"

Brynn took a step closer to him and caught his chin with her hand. He inhaled sharply, unnerved by the fact that she was touching him. The heat reached a new high and spread throughout his body, causing his skin to tingle.

She tilted his head from side to side until she found an angle she liked. "Don't move."

Her hand left his chin. He was frozen.

Brynn brought her camera up to his face and started taking pictures. He didn't even flinch at the flash. All he could do was stare at her face and watch her dark eyes focus on him.

"That should do it," she said after a few shots, completely unaware of what she had just done to him. His glasses remained perched on top of her head.

He found his voice again and was relieved that it didn't come out as a squeak. "What was the point of that?"

She shrugged. "You have pretty eyes. I wanted a picture."

"Oh."

Brynn removed his glasses and shook her hair out. She slipped them back onto his face like it was no big deal. "Now I'm good. I'll call you later so we can finish up the project."

She disappeared down the street. Jonathan attempted to get his thoughts back in order.

The warmth in his stomach was viciously gnawing at him. It was at its worst ever.

**. . . **

_He came back later that night. When Olivia tried to close the door on him, he stuck his foot in and stopped her. _

"_Please," he begged. "Let me talk to you."_

"_There's nothing to talk about," she whispered. Her eyes still stung from all the crying. _

"_Olivia," he whispered. His green eyes were sincere. "Please."_

_Olivia took a step back from the door and allowed him to enter. Charlie looked around the apartment slowly, his eyes taking in the chipped wall paper and stained carpet. _

_She left the room and went into the kitchen to make herself some tea. "Do you want anything?" she asked quietly when she heard him approach. _

_He shook his head. _

_They stood silently in her kitchen. The clock on the wall ticked loudly. Outside, cars could be heard honking at one another. Dee was with a client, leaving Olivia and Charlie alone. _

_He cleared his throat. "You're sure you're…pregnant?"_

_She nodded, unable to lift her eyes from the floor. _

"_How far along are you?"_

_She shrugged. "Not far. A few weeks."_

_Charlie sighed. "Was that why you were avoiding me? Were you afraid to tell me?"_

_Her vision blurred and the floor tiles morphed together. Olivia's face contorted and she quietly whimpered, "You left me when I told you."_

_The tears leaked from her eyes and splattered on the floor. She felt Charlie's arms wrap around her gently. She gave in and buried her face against his chest. The smell of his cologne wafted to her nose. He smelled like soap and spice, a scent that provided her comfort. _

"_I know," he whispered against her ear. "I'm so sorry, Liv. I was overwhelmed when you told me. I…I didn't know how to react. I won't leave again. I promise."_

"_You don't know that for sure," she miserably moaned. _

"_I do. I don't want to leave ever again," he whispered. Charlie pulled back and cupped her face in his hands. "Look at me. Look at me, darling. I want to be with you. I won't leave again, I swear."_

_She calmed down a little. "What are we going to do about this?" Olivia pointed at her stomach. _

_Tentatively, Charlie placed his hand against her stomach. "I think that decision's up to you. You're the one carrying it."_

"_I don't want to raise a child by myself, Charles," she told him. _

"_I'll help."_

"_It'd be difficult." She turned away from him and walked over to the window. Outside, the sky had darkened and storm clouds were rolling in. She shivered; she hated thunder storms. _

"_You're right," he agreed. "There's no denying it. But I will be there to take care of him. I've always wanted a child, Liv. I don't have any of my own."_

_Her heart twisted. _Don't let your emotions make this decision for you, _a voice whispered. _You need to take this seriously. Puppy dog eyes won't work.

"_The child would forever live in shame," Olivia muttered. "Or in darkness. I don't think you'd want your colleagues finding out about your bastard child—"_

"_Olivia," he warned. "Don't refer to the child as a bastard. I will help take care of it. Yes, we'll have to stay quiet about it for now. At least until we know what to do. But it's your decision, Olivia. If you want this child, I will support you one hundred percent. If you don't, I suppose we could always put it up for adoption."_

_Those last words pained him, she could tell. He wanted the child. She could see the sincerity in his eyes when he proclaimed he wanted the child. _

_This wasn't a fairytale, however. She had to be realistic. There was always the chance that he eventually would walk out on them and leave them to fend for themselves. Olivia was in no position to support a child. She knew the hardships that followed. Her own mother had been a single mother whose husband had walked out on her. They had always been hungry, Olivia remembered. Her mother didn't bring in enough to support the family. She still remembered the ache in her stomach that was present whenever they were forced to miss a meal. _

_The responsible thing to do would be to put the child up for adoption. That way, it wouldn't be forced to live in shame its entire life. Olivia and Charlie could find a nice family with a white picket fence and a golden retriever to take care of their child. _

_But then again, did she really want to give up her first child? How would it affect her later in life? Would she feel constant guilt over giving her child up?_

What do I do…?

"_I want it," she surprised herself. Olivia closed her eyes and swallowed hard. "I want to keep the baby."_

_She began to cry and Charlie held her close to him. "I'll take care of it," he promised her. "I'll be there every step of the way."_

_She held on tighter and prayed he would stay true to his word. _

**. . . **

Brynn, Dominic, and Terrence Wheeler walked out of Checkers and were greeted by the cool, night air. It was close to nine o'clock and the trio had been wandering around for the last two hours. There weren't any big parties going on that night and all the usual hangouts had become boring.

"We could sneak into a club?" Terrence suggested.

"We did that last time," Dominic mumbled. He kicked a pebble and cursed when he stubbed his toe.

Brynn took a swig of the wine she'd managed to pass off as grape soda. Her senses were becoming fuzzy and there was a light pounding in her head. "Can we go downtown?"

"Do you want to get mugged?" Dominic asked. Brynn grimaced and took another sip of her wine.

Terrence reached into his pocket and pulled out a plastic baggie. Brynn's eyes widened when she realized what it was.

"Terrence, what the hell are you doing with that stuff?" she exclaimed. She watched as he rolled it up and lit it. The boy took a drag and sighed.

"Calm down, Brynnigans," Dominic said. Terrence past the baggie to him and he made his own joint. They stood on the street corner, taking drags and blowing out the smoke.

"Oh my god," Brynn muttered. She checked over her shoulder for any officers lingering around.

"Want some?" Terrence asked.

She glared at him. "I don't want to get caught with that stuff!"

He shrugged. "Suit yourself."

They smoked their joints and ten minutes later, Dominic's eyes were red. He yawned. "Let's go see a movie."

Terrence was the complete opposite. He was fidgety and speaking quickly. "No, let's go get food. I want pie. Pie's great. Do you like pie? Oh my god, pie—"

"Shut up!" Brynn groaned. "Why can't you be mellow like Dom?"

Dominic started tugging at her sleeve. "Brynn, come ooooon, I want to see a movie."

He dragged her down the street. Brynn had to coax Terrence to come with them and not wander into a nearby bakery. She cursed the two boys when they arrived at the movie theater for their stupidity.

"I want one…no, two," Dominic stated when he arrived at the ticket booth. "Mmm, naah, how about…five? Yeah, five for your eight o'clock."

Brynn covered her face with her hand. "Dom, it's nine thirty and there are three of us."

"I know that, Brynn," he snapped. He turned back to the wide-eyed girl selling tickets. "How about four tickets for…"

"I'm leaving," Brynn muttered. She started down the sidewalk, ignoring Dominic's calls to come back. Why were they such idiots? Everyone around them knew they were high off their asses…

Brynn turned down an empty side street, still grumbling about her friends' stupidity when she heard footsteps behind her. She glanced behind her, expecting to see Dominic and Terrence. Her heart dropped to her toes and ice settled over her body. Of all people…

"Brynn!" Riley called from the other end of the alley. From where she stood, she could make out his crooked grin. "Long time no see!"

She turned around and started walking faster. Her heart thumped violently against her chest. What had possessed her to take the side street? Of all people, she knew better than to take side streets in Gotham.

Riley and Griffin were ganging up on her. Brynn broke out in a sprint and ran as fast as she could. They had been closer than she had expected. Griffin grabbed her by the arm and yanked her back. She slammed against the wall of a brick building, her head banging hard against it. Dark spots blemished her vision.

"Babe," Riley whined. "Why are you running from us?"

"We've missed you," Griffin added.

"Can't say the same about you two," Brynn spat. "I was enjoying your absence."

They chuckled darkly. "Spunky thing you are," Riley cooed.

Brynn wanted nothing more than to spit in his face. They had her cornered. She couldn't fight them off and wouldn't be able to run away without a distraction. Unfortunately, there were no hoses nearby to aid her.

"What do you want?" she growled, trying her best to keep her voice even. At this point, all she could do was pretend they didn't bother her. Then, maybe, they would leave her alone and grow bored with her. Maybe Jonathan's theory would work.

She highly doubted it.

"You know what we want," Riley said in a low voice. He brushed a piece of hair away from her face. "All-Stars treatment."

Brynn swatted his hand away from her face. "Over my dead body."

"I mean, if that's what it has to come to." Griffin shrugged.

"You're sick."

"Believe me, you're going to feel worse when we're done," Riley said. "Now, about that All-Stars treatment…"

Brynn stomped on his foot and dashed. She didn't get far before Griffin was pulling her back. He pressed his body against hers, pinning her to the wall. Brynn yelped when she felt Riley step on her foot.

"How do you like that, you bitch?" he asked through gritted teeth. "Doesn't feel so good, huh?"

"Go to hell," she gasped out. Griffin was pressing his arm against her throat. She clawed at his arm, desperate for air.

"Let up, Griff," Riley scolded. His arm fell away and she inhaled deeply. "Wouldn't want to kill her before she gives us what we want."

"I'm not giving you anything, you sleaze!" she roared.

"We'll see about that," he replied. "I wish that little fag was here. He could then see what we have in store for you."

She needed to get out of there. They were giving it to her one way or the other. Brynn kneed Griffin in the loin as hard as she could. The boy doubled over in pain. She blindly lashed out at Riley and missed. He had ducked and was lunging for her.

The next thing she knew, his fist was colliding into her face.

**. . .**

Brynn didn't remember waking up. She stared at the ground moving beneath her and felt her feet dragging over the earth. There was a horribly loud ringing noise in her ears and her head throbbed violently. Her limbs felt like they had been filled with cement and she wondered how it was possible that she was floating if she was so heavy.

_Floating?_

Brynn jerked when she realized there were arms wrapped around her back. Panic settled and she squirmed wildly. _I need to get away, I need to get away, I need to get away_.

"Shh, Brynn," someone on her right desperately said. She knew that voice. It belonged to someone close to her but she couldn't remember who. "Calm down. It's alright, we've got you."

Dominic.

On her other side was Terrence. They half carried half dragged her across the soccer fields quickly. She could smell the marijuana that they had inhaled earlier. It clung to them like perfume and wafted to her nose.

The pain hit her so suddenly and harshly she began to cry.

Shaky sobs escaped her mouth. Crying only intensified the pain and the pain made her cry harder. The two boys repeatedly shushed her, promising that she would be okay.

They arrived to a lit building. The mess hall, Brynn realized in her delirious state.

"Go get some ice and paper towels," Dominic told Terrence. "We need to clean up the blood."

Terrence ran inside and Dominic carefully led Brynn to the stone wall nearby and helped her sit on it. The pain had intensified and the bright lights that illuminated the sidewalk were no help. She whimpered and closed her eyes.

"Shh," he shushed her. He stood in front of her with his arms wrapped around her stomach. Brynn's face was pressed against his chest. "I've got you. You're okay."

Brynn pulled away and peeled her eyes open. Her wobbly vision focused on Dominic's face. He had a busted lip and a black eye was forming. There were dark blotches stained onto the fabric of his shirt where her face had been seconds ago. She shakily reached up to her mouth and pulled back, her fingers stained red.

Dominic pressed her against his chest again when her breathing hitched. "Don't look at it. We'll clean it up. You'll be okay."

The sobs were muffled against his chest. "Did they…?"

"No," Dominic growled. "They didn't. We got you right after that dickhole hit you."

She felt a tiny pang of relief. It quickly disappeared when she was reminded of the pain in her head.

The door to the mess hall opened and Terrence reappeared. His face was just as messed up as Dominic's.

Dominic grimaced when he was handed the ice. "Hold on, Brynnigans. This is going to sting."

He carefully pressed the ice to her face and she yelped. Brynn pressed her lips together, only to intensify the pain. She dug her nails into Dominic's arm as the ice brought tears to her eyes.

The door to the mess hall opened again and the three of them froze. Terrence blocked her view and at the moment, she could care less about who had just walked out. Her eyes were trained on Dominic's chest.

"What happened?" a voice demanded.

Brynn froze when she recognized the owner of the voice. _No, not him_, she miserably thought. _Don't let him see me like this. Not him…_

"Crane," Dominic said in a shaky voice. He kept his eyes trained on Brynn as he rubbed the ice against her battered face. "Now's not the time."

"Dom, stop," Brynn moaned. "It hurts."

He dropped the ice cube and brought her against his chest again. She closed her eyes; she didn't want to see Jonathan. She didn't want to be lectured. Not when she felt like this.

She heard the younger boy approach them. _Go away, _she pleaded. Brynn focused on the circles Dominic drew on her back with his knuckles. It distracted her from the pain in her face.

"What happened?" he asked again. His voice was low and harsh. Brynn was afraid to look up at his face and see the expression he wore. No doubt it would be one of disgust and disappointment.

Dominic could tell she wanted to stay hidden. He rested his chin on top of her head and angled his body to the right, blocking her from Jonathan's sight. "Can you not tell that you're unwanted here? Go back to your hole, Crane."

He ignored the jab. "What are you doing with the ice? You're supposed to put it in a bag and then on her face. Brynn, look at me."

She buried her face into Dominic's chest.

"Brynn—"

"I swear to God, Crane, if you're not out of here in the next five seconds, I'll murder you." Dominic backed away from Brynn and stared down at the younger boy.

The second Brynn was exposed, Jonathan's eyes landed on her. His nose twitched and he inhaled sharply. Jonathan looked back up at Dominic. "Why haven't you taken her to the hospital?"

"She's doesn't need to go to a hospital."

"Are you blind? Of course she does—" Jonathan paused midsentence and took a good look at Dominic. His eyes then jumped to Terrence and down to Brynn. She immediately looked down and focused on the cracks in the sidewalk.

Jonathan began to laugh. It was a low, humorless chuckle. "Of course. You idiots are high. That's why you can't take her to the hospital; you don't want to get caught."

"Get out of my sight," Dominic hissed. "She's our friend; not yours."

Jonathan shook his head. "You do a lousy job at taking care of your friends."

Dominic lunged and grabbed Jonathan by the shirt collar. He pulled his arm back to hit the younger boy.

"_Dominic_!" Brynn screeched. He stopped and stared at her, his eyes wild. He still held onto Jonathan by his shirt.

Brynn's voice dropped dangerously and her eyes seemed to turn darker. "Let him go."

Dominic reluctantly released him and Jonathan stumbled back. She turned her attention to him. "Jonathan. Leave."

He remained for a second longer. Finally, he shook his head and looked her in the eye. "You're an idiot."

His words stung greatly. Jonathan left the three of them alone. Brynn's head felt like it would explode at any moment. The tears began to roll from her eyes again.

Dominic hopped on the wall and sat next to her. He pulled her over and wrapped his arms around her. He pressed his forehead against hers. "Don't listen to him."

Brynn sank against him. "Don't leave me alone tonight. I don't want to be alone."

The boys dragged her back to their dorm. Brynn gratefully collapsed onto Dominic's bed. She was out the moment her head hit the pillow.

**. . . **

**A/N: I'm sorry this is so long. I originally planned for this chapter to be two different chapters with other little scenes but I wanted to add them together. I'll try to minimize the next chapter hehe…**

**Shout out to fgjghjkgfkfgh, Amber, ElektraMackenzie, cbaudelaire, zulu, Yusuke, widdlehiddles, verdi, kitty, Roxie13, and mira for the reviews! Thanks to anyone who added the story to their alerts! All your reviews made me smile :)**

**Charlie found out about the baby! Olivia's not too happy about the pregnancy and it's kind of obvious that she's reluctant about keeping the baby. Their scenes will be occurring more often in the next few chapters. To be honest, the pregnancy goes rather smoothly. All the obstacles appear after little Brynn is born. It's going to be interesting…**

**So Riley and Griffin finally ganged up on Brynn… You could say this was an awakening for her. She won't be drunkenly wandering around the campus late at night anymore. Jonathan's going to lecture her BIG TIME in the next chapter. We'll see his darker side. He's not going to go easy on Brynn. He won't be too happy when he learns Riley and Griffin were responsible for it. **

**The poll for the sneak preview has been closed and the winner is the **_**Batman Begins**_** scene. It was close; it won by one vote. I forgot to mention that it doesn't take place during **_**BB **_**but a little bit before. For the time lapse, it goes from sophomore year to about a year before **_**BB**_**. To give you an idea of what's happening, Brynn and Jonathan have already met once but it was at a party. This scene is just the two of them alone. I'll start writing it now. I'm not sure when it will be up. Sometime between tonight and Sunday morning most likely. Keep your eyes peeled :) **

**Please leave a review! Reviewers will be permitted kick Griffin and Riley where the sun doesn't shine. **


	26. Chapter 26

_Olivia was three months into her pregnancy and everything was going surprisingly well. Her stomach was beginning to swell and her morning sickness had calmed down. Charlie had arranged for her to move into his apartment after she had confessed that she was pregnant. He didn't want her living in her dingy apartment outside the Narrows. _

_Charlie was ecstatic about the pregnancy. When they lied in bed or on the couch, his hand was constantly on her stomach. Sometimes he would softly coo to the baby as though it could hear him. He'd chuckle when he saw Olivia's amused face and smile bashfully._

_The earlier feeling of doubt she had was beginning to flee away. It was still there, of course, hiding in the dark recesses of her mind. Part of her told her that he would run off as soon as the baby was born. _

_The other half of her mind claimed he would stay. _

_Olivia could only hope he would stay with her and their child. She didn't want this to end so abruptly. For the first time in a long time, she felt happy. She hadn't realized how empty she had felt before Charlie had come into her life. Having him leave would be devastating. _

_For the time being, she decided to enjoy herself and chase off any worries about him leaving._

**. . . **

The pain had become excruciating around three that morning.

Brynn lied in Dominic's bed, writhing in pain, her hand cupping her nose. Her head rested on Dom's lap and he stroked her hair, begging her to be silent. Terrence sat on the floor with his chin resting on his hands, his eyes bloodshot.

The sobs wouldn't stop. She felt like she had been hit by a bus and the slightest move caused her agony. She begged Dom to take her somewhere, to make the pain stop. It was unbearable.

He gave in around four and made a phone call. Conrad arrived to their dorm ten minutes later.

By then, everything was blurry and Brynn was having a hard time focusing. Black spots danced around the edges of her vision. Pain coursed through her veins.

She must have blacked out because the next thing she knew, she was in the backseat of Conrad's car. They were at a stoplight and Dom and Conrad were in the front seat arguing. When the light turned green, they turned down a street and arrived at the hospital.

Brynn blacked out again.

The rest of the night went on like that, falling in and out of consciousness. Nurses came and went, a doctor shone a flashlight in her eyes, and a police officer questioned her even though she couldn't make a coherent answer. Dominic ended up doing most of the answering.

Her parents arrived around six thirty.

Their faces were grim when they arrived. George questioned her relentlessly, wanting to know who had damaged her face and why she was in the hospital. Madelynn sat next to her, quietly stroking her hair. There was a calculating look in her eyes.

Her father's questions were difficult to understand. Brynn felt as though she was underwater and all the noise was muffled by the waves. Her brows furrowed and she continuously asked that he repeat the question. Finally, George sighed and gave up.

_She has a broken nose_, a doctor informed them a few minutes later. The rest of his sentence was muffled and distorted. The pain meds were making her dizzy. _She needs to have surgery_.

"Surgery?" Brynn mumbled. She lied on the bed and focused on the sound of the cars outside her window. Everyone's day was beginning. The curtains were closing and her night was coming to an end.

With her eyes closed, Brynn focused on her other senses. A cart was being pushed down the hall, its wheels squeaking against the white floors. The scent of antiseptic caused her nose to sting. The coppery taste of blood remained on her tongue. Her fingers brushed over the stitches in her lip.

Darkness engulfed her at last.

She had surgery that morning and went home the next day. Her parents kept her out of school for a week.

"Let us deal with everything," Madelynn had whispered the afternoon Brynn got home. She then turned off the lights and left Brynn to allow her to sleep.

Her nose was beginning to heal. The doctors had assured her that her nose would look like it had before she had been hit; the only major difference would be a small scar on the bridge of her nose. The scar wouldn't bother her—she was just afraid she would end up looking like a Barbie doll.

Finally, after a week, the bandages came off and Brynn was back at Gotham University. Everywhere she went, people stared. Some stared at her with wonder or pity; others glared hatefully. It turned out that Riley and Griffin had quite a few friends…

She wasn't sure how anyone could like those douchebags.

Unfortunately, they now had it out for her. Riley and Griffin had been expelled for what they had done to her. Whenever she passed one of their friends, curses and derogatory names followed.

"Skank," one blonde girl had snapped at her in the library.

"Bitch," a boy had mumbled while passing by on the sidewalk.

_They broke my nose! _Brynn wanted to scream at them. _How am _I _the bad guy?!_

Instead, she opted to remain silent. If she pretended their words didn't hurt her, maybe they would drop it.

Brynn was beginning to believe that it would never end. Riley and Griffin's attack on her had resulted in a domino effect with one bad thing happening after the other. Dominic and Terrence had been suspended and put on academic probation for using marijuana (Brynn had been let off the hook; the dean had warned her, however, that if they caught her drunk again, the same would happen to her); the rumor mill was spinning and Brynn was at the center of it; and no one wanted to be seen with her. She was the black plague and everyone fled when she walked into a room. Being seen with Brynn Kiley was practically social suicide…

On her second day back, Brynn walked into the building where her photography class was held. Outside, a storm had been raging and she was drenched through and through. Brynn shivered as she walked into the classroom, leaving a trail of water behind her. She plopped down onto her stool and waited for Roger to start class.

She pulled out her Economics textbook and started to read a section. The amount of homework she had was overwhelming. Missing a week of college had been the biggest mistake of her life. It would take her _weeks_ to catch up on everything.

The stool next to her scraped against the tile. Brynn briefly froze as Jonathan sat down next to her. Like her, his hair was damp and plastered against his forehead. Water dripped from his hair and splashed against the table.

Brynn's eyes darted away from him and over to Roger. Their professor stood and wiped the chalk board with an eraser. "I decided I want to push our next topic to tomorrow," he explained. "I have a bunch of papers to grade for one of my other classes. You guys can have a study hall. No funny business or I'll lock you outside in the rain."

The class sighed with relief and turned to their friends. Brynn flipped to the last page and began to read the questions she had to answer for her assignment. She reached into her backpack for a pencil, only to realize she had left her pencil bag in her dorm.

"Jonathan," she said carefully. "Can I borrow a pencil?"

Wordlessly, he passed his pencil. His eyes remained glued to the wall.

Brynn sighed. Even Jonathan wasn't acknowledging her. She hadn't forgotten what he had said to her the other night. _You're an idiot_, he had harshly told her. The way he had glared at her like she was a failure made her want to curl up in a ball and hide.

"Thanks," she mumbled.

They didn't speak to each other for the majority of class. Brynn worked on her homework and Jonathan observed people. He didn't have his black notebook out but she could tell he was doing it. He sat quietly with a thoughtful expression on his face. Anyone else would have thought he was daydreaming; Brynn knew he was listening to conversations.

"Did I miss anything in here while I was gone?" she asked, hoping to start a conversation. As crazy as it sounded, she missed talking to the younger boy. Then again, she missed talking to all of her friends who now wouldn't be caught dead with her. But that was because of popularity. Jonathan didn't care about that—he would talk to her, wouldn't he? Maybe he was just waiting for her to start the conversation?

"No," he said firmly. Again, he kept his eyes on the wall.

"Do you want to get together and work on the project sometime this week?" _Please talk to me. No one else will and I could really use a friend right now…_

"I'm busy."

"Oh."

She stared at him for a moment longer, willing him to look at her, to see the pain in her eyes and stop being so cold. But still, he looked straight ahead. Brynn gave up and rested her head on the table. This was going to be a long week…

"I'll just finish it up by myself," she muttered. Maybe she could make him feel guilty…

Jonathan huffed and looked down at her. The angry expression on his face made her flinch. "Can you not tell that I don't want to talk to you?"

Brynn didn't answer.

Jonathan turned again. "Meet me in the library after school and we can work on the project. If you're not on time, I'm leaving."

Class ended and Jonathan stomped out. Brynn fought the urge to cry. She gathered her books and walked alone to her last class.

**. . . **

Brynn considered not going to the library so she wouldn't have to deal with Jonathan and his stony glares. At the last minute, she convinced herself to walk over there and deal with it. Jonathan was going to talk to her one way or another, she decided.

Hopefully he had cooled off since Photography class.

As expected, he sat at the table in the back. Jonathan's eyes landed on her the moment she walked through the doors and followed her the entire way. She stared at the floor, unnerved by his blue gaze. His folded hands covered his mouth and his brows were deeply furrowed.

Neither of them spoke.

Brynn took a deep breath and looked him in the eye. "Are you going to be mad at me forever?"

Silence.

"Why are you mad at me? I didn't do anything—"

"Don't play stupid," Jonathan interrupted. "It's unflattering."

"Stop calling me stupid," she snapped.

"Give me a reason to believe that you're not."

Brynn looked down at the table. She didn't want to do this. She was exhausted and wanted someone to be on her side in all this. Thinking that Jonathan would side with her had been stupid. He would always find a reason to be against her.

"I didn't ask them to do this," she said quietly.

"You were drunk, Brynn, and wandering around Gotham late at night. Did you actually expect to not run into any trouble?" he snapped. Jonathan took his glasses off and massaged the bridge of his nose.

"You make it sound like it's my fault."

"It's those baboons fault," Jonathan hissed. "I don't understand how you think they're your friends."

She pulled at a loose string on her jacket. "They're not baboons…"

"That's _exactly _what they are, Brynn. You're just too blind to see it."

"You're only saying that because they bullied you in high school."

Anger flashed across his face. Jonathan took a deep breath and leaned forward. "I may not know much about friendship but I know for a fact they are not your friends. They don't care about you, Brynn."

He made a crack in her armor. Brynn blinked back tears and looked away. "That's not true."

"Is it? Then why have your friends been ignoring you all this time? If they truly cared about you, they would have made sure you were okay and wouldn't have ditched you."

"Shut up," Brynn whispered. It wasn't true. They were all still her friends. Times were difficult and everybody just needed time to cool off. They were all still friends…

"Admit it, Brynn. They're using you," Jonathan said. His eyes were cold and cruel, his voice heartless. "And you allow them to do it."

"Well, you're no better than them," she hissed. "If you were my friend, you wouldn't be treating me this way. You would ask if I'm alright."

"That's a stupid question to ask," he replied. "I know you're not okay. Anyone can see that."

"Then stop," she pleaded, her voice weak. Tears were dangerously close to spilling down her cheeks. "Stop treating me like I'm a disease and acting like it's my fault. I didn't do anything."

He stared at her for a moment and she thought she had gotten through to him and that he understood how much she was hurting. Jonathan would be the friend who came to the rescue in the end. Yes, he was a friend, Brynn realized. Jonathan understood what it was like to be picked on and insulted. He had to know what she was going through right now.

Jonathan shook his head. "You need to start making better decisions. People aren't going to clean the mess up for you all the time. You were lucky this time; next time, you might not have that luck."

His words were a jab to the side. Brynn wearily stared at him; he stared right back, his eyes unwavering. Jonathan didn't care if she was alright. To him, she was some dimwit who ended up in bad situations all too often. Jonathan Crane would never sympathize her.

"Then I guess there's nothing left to say," Brynn murmured. She collected her things and stood. A lump the size of her fist had formed in her throat. "I'll finish the project up myself."

Right as she turned around, a girl in the sophomore class bumped into her and nearly lost her balance. She regained her footing and scowled at Brynn.

"I guess your face wasn't the only thing they fucked up," she snarled. The people around them burst into laughter so loudly the librarian had to quiet them down. Brynn's face flared bright red. _Walk! _Her legs screamed at her. Classmates looked at her with narrowed, laughing eyes and ruthless grins. Brynn didn't dare turn around; no doubt Jonathan wore his signature smirk.

Finally, her legs started moving again and she hurried out of the library. When she got back to her dorm, Brynn collapsed on her bed and finally allowed herself to cry.

**. . .**

Jonathan watched the doors slam shut behind Brynn. The laughter had died down and the girl who had called her out disappeared behind a book case. He gritted his teeth together and tried to focus on the book he had been reading. The words blurred together and swam around on the page. He slammed the book shut and stood.

Jonathan walked through the aisles, trying to calm himself down. The scent of books wafted through his nostrils and he allowed his fingers to slide over the books. Still, his heart hammered angrily against his chest.

He stopped and pressed his forehead against one of the shelves. Images from the previous week flashed through his mind. He remembered being in the cafeteria finishing up a late dinner. The doors had swung open and in came Terrence Wheeler with a battered and bloodied face. At first, Jonathan didn't care. Karma was finally catching up to the dimwit. Then he remembered Brynn telling him that she was hanging out with Dominic and Terrence that night.

A cold feeling of dread had washed over him.

He followed Terrence out of the mess hall. The entire walk to the doors, he repeatedly told himself that Terrence had gotten hit by a car and was just getting ice for his wounds. However, his tense shoulders and quick pace told him something had happened to someone else. He began to hope that Dominic had also been hit by a car.

That hope was quickly extinguished when he walked outside.

At first, he didn't see her. Terrence blocked her from his view and Dominic was standing in front of her with his hands on her face. Dominic looked just as bad as Terrence, if not worse. When Jonathan had approached them, wanting to get a look at Brynn's face and find out what had happened, Dominic had told him off. Jonathan wouldn't go away that easily; he continued to pry.

Finally, Dominic stepped away from the older girl. Jonathan's eyes widened in horror upon seeing her face. Her chin and nose were stained red and her lip was beginning to swell up. Jonathan also noted that her nose seemed a bit crooked. A sheen of sweat had formed on her forehead, her eyes were dilated, and tears streamed down her face. The girl looked like she had just survived a war.

Worst of all, she clung to Dominic for dear life, whimpering and whining every time he took a step away from her. She buried her face in his chest in search of comfort.

Jonathan came back to reality and chased off the memories. He sighed and leaned against the book case on the opposite side of the aisle. What did she even see in Dominic Langston? The boy was a cruel and conniving jerk. Trouble followed him wherever he went. Somehow it always missed him and attacked the person nearest to him—in this case, Brynn.

Trying to figure out what happened and who had done it to her had been difficult. News of the attack hadn't made its way around school until Tuesday. All sorts of theories were flying around school; she had been mugged by one of Falcone's henchman; raped by a janitor; chased through the city by some cannibalistic serial killer. Each theory made Jonathan more and more unnerved. He didn't have anyone he could turn to and ask. Jonathan just had to rely on the rumor mill and piece things together by himself.

Riley and Griffin were expelled midway through the week. Their expulsion narrowed down the rumors and everyone was spreading the same one: the imbeciles had raped the girl in a deserted alley. Upon hearing the news, Jonathan had nearly vomited. He had heard firsthand all the sick comments they had uttered and all the perverted threats they had made. Jonathan knew they weren't kidding; he had hoped that Brynn would tell someone and get them off her back. Perhaps he should have taken up the offer of letting her brother deal with them…

No, that would have made the situation worse. It wasn't until Friday that Jonathan overheard the dean talking to Professor Mapps about the incident and explained what had happened. They had jumped Brynn in an alley. She hadn't been raped and Dominic and Terrence had intervened before that could have become a possibility. At first, Jonathan was relieved. Quickly, the feeling was replaced with anger and frustration.

Why was Brynn always doing this? Wandering around the streets of Gotham while intoxicated? Jonathan still remembered finding her on Halloween and he was positive that hadn't been the only time she had done it. The girl wasn't naïve—she wasn't the type who believed everyone on the street was her friend. She was careless. Brynn believed that all bad things would avoid her and happen to the next poor girl on the street. She walked around like she owned the world and taunted fate to mess with her. Brynn believed she was invincible and it always put Jonathan on edge. It was reckless to live like that.

He sighed and started walking again. No matter what he said to her, he couldn't get through. Brynn believed he was against her. That wasn't the case. Jonathan knew that the only way to make her listen and be more precautious was to be straightforward, even if it meant hurting her feelings. If he sugarcoated his words, she would refuse to listen. At the end of the day, Jonathan chose to be realistic. It was the only way to survive in a city like this.

He didn't enjoy seeing her this way. Loneliness hung over her like a cloud, always trailing behind. He knew her so-called friends wanted nothing to do with her. For some reason, he wanted to take their place and let her know that he did care and that he wanted to help her feel better. Jonathan was beginning to wonder if he had made a friend in her. He could never be sure—Brynn liked to tease him. There was always the possibility that she was leading him on.

He couldn't let his feelings blind him. Brynn was unpredictable and a cause for disaster. Befriending her and allowing her to see inside his mind would be a huge mistake.

But part of him said she wouldn't use him that way and that he could trust her.

He paused when he heard two girls talking on the other side of the book case.

"Did you see her face?" one girl asked her friend.

"_Yes_. Her bruises look horrible."

Jonathan pretended to read the summary on the back of a book. His ears perked up as he listened to their conversation.

"Serves her right," the first girl scoffed. "She was such a bitch in high school."

Jonathan's grip tightened on the binding of the book.

"You know what they say," the second girl giggled. "Karma's a bitch."

Jonathan slammed the book back into place and left the library. He had had enough of all this rubbish.

**. . . **

That next morning, Jonathan walked across the cafeteria with his tray in hand. Brynn sat by the soda machine in the back of the room with her nose buried in a thick textbook. Papers and books surrounded her. He cleared his throat and startled her.

Brynn looked up at him, her dark eyes bloodshot. Dark half-moons marred her skin under her eyes and she was beginning to break out on her forehead. The bruises were turning a shade of green and an angry red scar on her nose stuck out against her freckles.

"May I sit?" he asked.

She looked bewildered. "I-I guess."

Jonathan nodded and sat down in the plastic seat. He tore his waffle apart with his fingers and ate the tiny pieces. He could feel Brynn's eyes on him.

"I wanted to apologize for the way I reacted yesterday," he explained, surprisingly calm. "I shouldn't have pinned the blame on you. It was entirely Riley and Griffin's fault."

Brynn stared at the table with a frown on her face. He waited for her to tell him to go away or yell at him or something.

"I'm sorry," he added. "For what they did to you."

Brynn drew a circle on her assignment. "They're all acting like I was the one who did it."

Jonathan nodded. "They want someone to blame."

"I guess I'm an easy target," she mumbled. Brynn sighed and looked at him. "Thank you for apologizing, Jay."

The warmth briefly tickled his stomach before Jonathan shooed it away. She looked miserable. Brynn kept her head down shamefully. It angered Jonathan; she believed those imbeciles. They made her believe that the attack had been _her _fault.

Jonathan wasn't going to put up with it.

"Brynn," he said sternly.

She lamely quirked her brows and kept her eyes on the table.

"_Brynn_." This time she peaked at him curiously. "Eyes up. Shoulders back. Sit up straight. You won't make it through this looking like a hurt puppy."

She hesitated.

"Believe me, it works," he added.

Brynn sighed and straightened her posture. Her eyes met Jonathan's and she quirked her brows. "Better?"

Jonathan smirked. "Much."

**. . . **

Later that night, a man working at the local pet store was preparing to close up shop. He locked the cash register and checked the lock on the animals' cages. The bell on the front door chimed.

The man grumbled about late night customers and walked to the front desk. A pale, gangly teenager wearing an oversized blue sweatshirt and khakis had walked in and was examining the tanks.

"I'm getting ready to close, son," the man said.

The teenager looked up and nodded. "I know what I would like."

He pointed to a snake tank on the opposite side of the store. The man nodded and retrieved a box. "How many would you like?"

"Half a dozen," he responded. His light blue eyes looked over the snakes curiously. "Are they harmless?"

"Yepp," the man answered. "You a snake lover?"

"I have a rodent problem," he coolly replied.

The man shrugged and led the boy to the front desk. He totaled the price for the reptiles and patiently waited as the boy fished out some bills from his wallet. "Good luck with those vermin. What are they, mice?"

"Rats."

"Bleh. Do you need some traps?" he asked and pointed to a display.

The boy squinted. "That's alright. I don't think they'll be too hard to catch."

The man handed the box to the boy. "Have a nice night."

The boy nodded and walked out the door. He pulled his hood up and hurried down an alleyway. He stopped under a streetlight and read an address written on a piece of scrap paper. Inside the box, the snakes hissed.

"Don't worry," the boy muttered. "You'll have your fun in due time."

**. . . **

**A/N: I'm sorry it's been over a week since I last updated! I forgot that I had to take my laptop back to school so they could reimage it. I'm nervous—Microsoft Word acts funny and I'm afraid it's going to crash in the middle of a chapter. It already deleted my chapter outline which I'm **_**so **_**pissed off about. I had the next ten chapters planned out perfectly and then BOOM! It's all gone… I remember what I had planned for three chapters and that's pretty much it. Ugh. This chapter isn't my favorite so hopefully you guys liked it. Time to rewrite my outline. Hoorah… **

**Wowwowwowwow, REVIEWS! THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU to JediWho, hrzujzu, zulu, miracle, widdlehiddles, ShaydesofDarkness, zara354, ElektraMackenzie, mira, FieryLady36, emx, AlainHotCoco1, emmasinger, Amber, foreverellen, Yusuke, wishmaster, fantasia, dEnIsE tHe StRaNgE, kickass, muffinXXL, Katherine, Solstice White, revelation, nosferatu, dante, and Roxie13! Ahh you guys! I felt like it was Christmas all over again! Also, thank you to the people who added the story to their alerts! YOU ALL DESERVE COOKIES AND JONATHAN! (No seriously, I love you all to death). **

**The sneak preview was posted in case anyone didn't see it! (Thank you JediWho, areosmithlover, jjpojp, whitenight, Amber, silas, and Yusuke for reviewing!) Let me know what you think :) **

**If anyone has questions about the chapter, feel free to PM me or leave it in your review. I'll try to answer them as quickly as possible. **

**Wishmaster, I absolutely loved the song! I had heard it before but didn't know what it was called. It fit Jonathan perfectly :)**

**Does anyone have a tumblr account? If so, I'll follow you! Mine's megjmck . tumblr (without the spaces). **

**I promise the next update will be sooner! Let me know what you think!**

**(BTW, **_**Star Trek: Into Darkness **_**was AWESOME. Benedict Cumberbatch has the sexiest voice and his character was absolutely lethal! Go see it!)**


	27. Chapter 27

_Charles was in the other room on a business call. Olivia could hear his muffled voice from where she sat in the living room. He sounded frustrated. _

_She sat on the floor, organizing his bookshelves. There wasn't much to do in the apartment and she didn't get out much. Therefore, Olivia found little jobs to do around the apartment, primarily organizing. She arranged books by color, forks by shininess, and ties by length. Charlie constantly teased her about being OCD and said their child would end up like her. _

_She was organizing the books by length when she stumbled across a brown photo album. She opened the front cover to find a note written in loopy, blue handwriting. It was signed by someone named Mimi._

_Olivia began to flip through the pages. There was a picture of a newborn in a woman's arms; a boy with strawberry blonde hair holding a fish; two teenagers sitting at a dinner table, smiling. She continued flipping pages, watching Charlie grow. In one, he was in a silk, graduation gown. In another, he was shaking an older man's hand. _

_The door opened and she heard Charlie approach her. "What are you looking at?" he asked. _

"_A photo album," she replied as she flipped through the pages. _

_Charlie plopped down next to her and rested his chin on her shoulder. "Oh god, you found that?"_

_She chuckled. "Who's 'Mimi?'"_

"_My mother," he explained. _

"_You call your mom 'Mimi?'" she snickered. _

"_Yeah, when I was five. I'm sure you had some ridiculous nickname for your mother when you were younger."_

"_Cecilia."_

"_That's an odd nickname."_

"_It's not a nickname, it's her name," Olivia explained. _

_Charlie inspected her face. "You referred to your mom by her first name?"_

_She sighed. "We weren't particularly close. She preferred my sister over me. I always thought of my grandmother as my mother."_

"_Oh. I'm sorry to hear that. What about your father?" he asked. _

_Olivia shrugged. Talking about her family wasn't one of her favorite subjects. "Never knew him. He walked out on my mom after I was born."_

_Charlie grew quiet. His hand found her stomach and gently rubbed it as though he was promising the baby he wouldn't leave. She hoped he wouldn't. _

"_What about your family?" she broke the silence. _

"_Just the usual," Charles murmured. "I was a mama's boy and my dad and I couldn't be in the same room without getting into an argument…He died last year."_

_Olivia leaned over and gently kissed his temple. "I'm sorry."_

_He gave her a small smile. "I'm better. It really affected my brother."_

"_How so?"_

_Charlie shrugged and picked at a piece of fuzz on his dress pants. "He drinks heavily. Scotty should have inherited the company but the board didn't think that was appropriate…"_

_A silence fell over them and they continued flipping through the album. She looked up. "You know, we don't have a name picked out for the baby."_

"_What would you like it to be?" he asked. _

"_If it's a boy, I want to name him after you," she confessed. _

_Charlie snorted. "Charles Erwin Branden, Jr. might get him jumped."_

"_Your name's fine!"_

"_Erwin? That's definitely not fine."_

_She snickered. "Fine. What do you want the middle name to be?"_

"_Oliver. That way he can be named after both of us…kind of."_

"_Charles Oliver Branden it is."_

"_What about a girl?"_

_Olivia tapped her chin. "I hadn't really thought about girl names."_

"_Neither have I. How about Susanna or Linda?"_

"_I thought you didn't want our child to get jumped," she teased. "Lourdes?"_

_Charlie made a face. He lied on his back and began listing off names. "Jennifer, Kimberly, Lisa, Amy…"_

"_Lori, Wendy, April," Olivia added. _

_They brainstormed for a good ten minutes but couldn't come up with anything. Finally, Olivia lied down and gave up. "I guess we can decide later. I don't know why, but I have a feeling it's going to be a boy."_

_Charlie placed his hand on her stomach and nodded. "We still have time to think of a name. At least we have our possible son's name figured out."_

"_Charles Oliver Branden," Olivia breathed. She smiled. "I love it already."_

_She leaned over and gave Charlie a quick kiss. The name of their unborn child played in her head like a favorite song. _

**. . .**

People were beginning to forget about Brynn. She was no longer afraid of people throwing insults at her when she walked out the front door. Occasionally, someone would glare at her and mutter something offensive under their breath. Besides that, everyone seemed to have forgotten about the whole fiasco.

No longer was she the most hated person on campus. People had started talking to her again, though their conversations were swift and awkward. Her friends had not yet attempted to reconcile with her. Why, Brynn was unsure.

She shrugged off the thought as she walked out of Brighton Hall and headed for the library. One person had stayed with her through this and remained a loyal friend—Jonathan Crane. Of all people. If someone had told her that back in September she would have laughed in their face. Jonathan had been the last person she expected to befriend her freshman year.

Yes, he was her friend now. Or at least Brynn considered him to be. She wasn't sure what she was to Jonathan. An acquaintance? Perhaps. He didn't act all buddy-buddy with her and share secrets late at night while gossiping about the people they hated. No, he tolerated her. Jonathan didn't snap at her as often as he used to. Every now and then she managed to crack a small, almost invisible smile out of him. It always vanished as quickly as it had appeared but Brynn took great pride in it—she had managed to get through to him.

It almost made her feel…special.

She knew it was a silly thing to think. Anyone could make anyone smile. But then again, how many people made _him _smile? Brynn felt like she was the first to accomplish some great feat.

A noise to her right brought her out of her mind and back to reality. Brynn slowed and glanced around her surroundings. It was Thursday afternoon and the campus was, for the most part, vacant. Students were in their dorms, packing their suitcases for spring break. Only a few people walked around the campus.

Brynn shrugged it off. It was probably just a squirrel. She hadn't gotten more than ten feet when she heard the noise again. It sounded like someone shuffling behind her. Brynn stopped this time and looked around. The bushes slightly swayed in the wind. The door to the main building closed shut. She thought she saw a shadow dash behind a car. Brynn held her breath and stared at the car for a good minute. Nothing seemed unusual about it.

Brynn shook her head. Ever since that night, Brynn felt nervous when she walked around the campus alone. Walking around at night was no longer an option. Even being alone in broad daylight put her on edge. Anyone could be lurking in the shadows, watching. Brynn just hoped they weren't watching _her. _

She reached into her pocket and tightly gripped the pepper spray she now carried for reassurance. If anyone _did _try to attack her, they would end up with this lovely stuff in their eyes. The thought of some crook rolling around on the ground, writhing in pain, almost made her snicker.

The smile quickly vanished when she heard the shuffling sound again. This time, it was closer and fast approaching. Brynn glanced over her shoulder only to see that she was alone. Her head whipped forward again when she heard a trash bin fall over. She stopped abruptly and stared at it. The contents lay on the ground and the top rolled to her feet. No one could have knocked it over. She would have _seen _them do it. There was no place to hide…

The shuffling started for the fourth time. This time, Brynn ran down the street and turned a corner. She pressed her back against the wall of a building, hoping to catch whoever had been following her and causing a ruckus.

She heard footsteps approaching. Brynn's heart hammered violently against her chest. What if it was a rapist? Or a serial killer? Or, worst of all, Riley and Griffin back for revenge? If they caught her, they wouldn't break her nose—they would bash her head in.

The footsteps stopped abruptly. She waited several minutes for the person to start walking again. Either they were just standing there or had disappeared into thin air. She highly doubted a ghost was stalking her.

Slowly, Brynn peeked around the corner and looked down the street. It was empty. What the hell was going on? Was she imagining someone following her? Brynn sighed; she needed to get a grip. Riley and Griffin weren't coming for her and neither was a psychopath—

A loud wailing caused Brynn to jump. She whipped around and stared at a red sedan parked in front of her. Its lights flashed and the horn blared. Another car down the street went off. And another. And another. Soon, all the cars on the street were whining, screaming, and wailing. People began to walk out of stores and restaurants to see what the big commotion was. Brynn didn't wait to see what happened next; she ran down the street and headed for the library, officially freaked out.

When she reached the library, she doubled over and tried to catch her breath. A cramp was forming in her side, causing her to grimace. Brynn glanced around to make sure no one had followed her. The few people walking around the campus looked innocent and unsuspicious. No one was standing under a tree, wearing a hockey mask, and holding a machete.

She opened the door and walked into the air conditioned building. Jonathan sat in his usual spot. His brows were furrowed and he rolled and twisted a Rubik's cube around. By the time Brynn had sat down, he had it completed.

"Why are you panting?" Jonathan asked as he switched up the colors and started to solve it again.

"Huh? Uh, no reason," she mumbled. "Just, uh, working on my spring break bod."

He snorted in response. Three seconds later, he solved the cube.

"Did you just solve that in thirty seconds?"

"Fifteen, actually."

Brynn rolled her eyes. "No big deal." She reached into her bag and pulled out several envelopes of developed pictures. She laid them in the middle of the table and folded her hands. "We have to choose which pictures to use."

Jonathan eyed the envelopes. "How many pictures are there?"

She shrugged. "Around seven hundred."

Jonathan groaned and leaned back in his chair. "This is going to take all day."

Brynn smirked and grabbed a few envelopes. "Then I suggest you start looking for your favorites."

He muttered something unintelligent under his breath and grabbed a few envelopes. They went through the pictures for a good hour. Brynn examined each photo carefully while Jonathan quickly flipped through. By the end of the hour, Jonathan had about twenty pictures and Brynn had close to two hundred.

"Let's make this easy for you," Jonathan muttered. He reached forward, grabbed half the stack, and put them back into the reject pile despite Brynn's protests. "I'm not writing a hundred essays on why I think some stupid picture is pretty."

"It's not stupid!" she exclaimed as she retrieved the stolen photos. Brynn held them to her chest lovingly. "It's art. And you love school stuff! You probably write essays for fun."

"This," Jonathan gestured to the stacks of photos, "Is not school related. It is a waste of time."

"Is not."

"It is! Photography will get you _nowhere _in life."

"But Psychology will?"

"Yes, actually. You can be very successful with a degree in Psychology. Photography, no," Jonathan sneered. He cocked his head to the side and smirked.

"That stick in your ass is making me dislike you again," she teased.

Jonathan glared. He adjusted his glasses and said, "Your profound language is making me dislike you."

"Oh, shut up," she laughed. "You love me."

Jonathan's face flared bright red and he quickly looked down at the photos he had selected. "What about these ones?" he asked in a cold voice.

Brynn took them from him and flipped through the stack. "This one's blurry. Your finger is in this one. No. No. No. That should do it."

"And now I'm down to ten," Jonathan replied happily. "Have fun writing all those essays."

She smirked. At least Jonathan was in a good mood today. He was beginning to show her a side of him she doubted anyone else ever saw. He was more laid back around her and even teased her sometimes. Once again, she had that special feeling that she had accomplished something great.

"I can take these and get them blown up," she said. "I'll see if they can print them in black and white. That would be cool, don't you think?"

Jonathan shrugged. "I suppose. When are we going to put the entire thing together?"

"Probably when I get back from break."

"We can work over break, you know," Jonathan said disapprovingly.

Brynn shook her head. "Connie, Mom, and I are going down to Florida. I'll write my paragraphs and when I get back we can cut out mats for the pictures."

Jonathan huffed. "Fine. Don't forget this is due right when we get back. I don't want you coming home with none of the essays written and then make _me _do it."

"You'll probably do them anyways."

"Absolutely not."

"You never agree with any of my work," she laughed. "You'll read my essay and then rewrite the entire thing!"

"I only do that because you do a poor job and never take the time to plan out your essays," he defended. "And you don't know the difference between 'too' and 'to.'"

"Yes I do!"

"Mmm-hmm."

"I do," she muttered. "Are you going anywhere for break?"

Jonathan's eyes darkened. He looked down at his nails and began to pick at his short cuticles. "Home."

Brynn nodded. She wanted to see if she could get him to open up about his life outside of school. "Anything fun planned?"

"Probably not."

"Why not?" she pouted. "Don't you have friends to hang out with back home? Or relatives coming in?"

There was a far off look in his eyes. Jonathan shook his head and shrugged. "It will be uneventful."

And that was the end of the conversation. Brynn knew if she pried for more information, he would tell her off and retreat to the back of his mind. Then, he would go back to being cold and criticizing. That was always the result when she pushed him to open even further. Jonathan only opened up when he wanted to. Even then, he released as little information about himself as possible.

"Your sister's coming over here," Jonathan said. He turned his attention back to his Rubik's cube and began to solve it.

Brynn fought off the urge to groan. She swiveled in her seat and watched Cadence approach their table. Her sister's eyes were cautious. Ever since Thanksgiving, things had been tense between them. Neither wanted to be the first to apologize for the fight that broke out during dinner.

"Need something?" Brynn asked coolly. She kept her expression bored, hoping her sister would keep it quick and leave.

"I need to borrow that white dress you wore to graduation," her sister replied in an even tone.

"Why?"

"I have an internship."

"I left it at home," she lied. Brynn eyed her sister's slim, tall figure. "It probably wouldn't fit on you either."

"Are you calling me fat?" Cadence crossed her arms over her chest.

"Relax, Barbie, I called myself fat," Brynn snapped.

The sisters sized each other up. The atmosphere was tense and neither of them breathed. One word could send them into a full-fledged cat fight. Even Jonathan held his breath, waiting for something to happen. His eyes darted back and forth between them.

Finally, Brynn smiled. "Isn't it time for you to go back to hell? I think Satan misses you."

Automatically, Cadence groped the silver cross necklace around her neck. She sneered at her younger sister. "I sometimes wonder why Mom and Dad haven't sent you back to the adoption center yet."

Brynn's jaw dropped. She angrily watched her sister march out of the library.

Jonathan stared at her questioningly. "Adoption center?"

"She's kidding," Brynn replied a little too quickly. Did Cadence want to expose her to everyone on campus? As if she didn't have enough problems to deal with…

Brynn collected all the photos and placed them back in their envelopes. She tried to ignore the fact that her face was burning. "I think that should do it. I have to go pack."

Jonathan nodded and followed her towards the door. When they passed a rack holding copies of the _Gotham Times_, Jonathan froze. He picked up a copy and read an article in the bottom right corner.

"What is it?" she asked and tried to read over his shoulder. _Man paralyzed in automobile accident_. As her eyes scanned over the article, she felt her liver drop to her toes.

"_Riley O'Donaghue, a former Gotham University student, was paralyzed after losing control of his car and driving off the road last night. He was taken to Gotham Hospital where it was announced that he was paralyzed from the waist down. The police have not released the cause of the accident…"_

Brynn wordlessly stared at the article and reread it several times. An icy feeling had settled over her. Karma had gotten back at Riley for what he had done to her. She knew she shouldn't think of such things. The fact that he had lost the ability to walk was horrible. However, Brynn was unable to muster up any sympathy for her former classmate. The only thing she felt was relief.

Riley had not followed her to the library. What about Griffin? He would want revenge on her. Or one of their friends?

Brynn banished the thought from her mind. _No one _was following her. She was just being paranoid.

"How unfortunate," Jonathan said sarcastically. There was a weird glint in his eyes. Had that been _triumph _in his voice?

"Yeah," Brynn said. Her eyes scanned the campus, expecting to see a hooded figure watching from behind a bush or a car.

"They had it coming, Brynn," he told her. He pushed open the library door and walked out. The sun was shining, completely oblivious to Riley's accident and Brynn's paranoia. Birds chirped and a group of boys passed a Frisbee on the lawn. Jonathan took a deep breath, relishing in the spring air. "Karma would catch up to them eventually."

Brynn studied his face, suddenly uncomfortable with his carefree demeanor. As much as she hated Riley, she didn't think it was appropriate to celebrate his loss. Why was Jonathan acting so light and giddy? He never allowed himself to experience so much joy.

Brynn forced a smile on her face and tried to steer the conversation away from Riley. The icy feeling in the pit of her stomach was making her nauseous. "I'll write those essays over break. I'll see you when I get back. Try to not have _too much _fun without me."

She stepped to the right and so did Jonathan. They kept trying to step away from each other, only managing to block the other's path. Finally, Brynn gripped him by his arms and moved him aside. Jonathan's face flared bright red and he scratched the back of his neck. Brynn smirked.

"See you around, Jay," she called over her shoulder.

**. . . **

Jonathan blushed furiously after being called 'Jay.' He watched as Brynn walked down the sidewalk, her hips slightly swaying, the muscles in her legs flexing. Involuntarily, a sigh escaped him and shivers ran down his back.

_What are you _DOING? His conscience roared. Instantly, Jonathan snapped out of it and walked in the other direction. The voice in his head wasn't finished lecturing him.

_Are you out of your mind? Get yourself together and forget her! I don't understand how you trust her. And the fact that you're…_aroused_ by her is sickening. You know better. _

_I'm not 'aroused,' _he defended. Jonathan stuffed his hands in his pockets and studied the cracks in the sidewalk.

His thoughts went back to the article on Riley. _Paralyzed, _it had declared. So his plan had worked. Now he just had to hope the police wouldn't be able to trace it back to him. Jonathan found that to be highly unlikely. The snakes probably slithered off after doing their work.

Jonathan thought back to that night. After purchasing the snakes, he had gone to their houses and hid behind the bushes, waiting for all the lights to go out. Breaking into the cars hadn't been difficult. Griffin had been stupid enough to leave his windows down. Once the snakes had been released, he headed back to the university without a second thought. That part scared him. Doing it had been as easy as dropping off clothes to a dry cleaner.

Dominic and Terrence beating them to a pulp hadn't been enough for Jonathan. No, he wanted a more permanent outcome, something that would scare them. Jonathan had warned them to leave Brynn out of it. They had been stupid not to listen.

He clenched his fists when he thought of her first week back at school. Her head was kept down at all times and her shoulders were tense, waiting for someone to call her out and make her feel even worse. It angered Jonathan. Those parasites weren't the victims, she was. But, of course, everyone wanted to side with the popular ones and put her to shame.

Jonathan didn't understand why it made him so angry. Just a few months ago, he probably would have sided with the majority and belittled her. But now he couldn't stand to see it. Every time someone called her a name or gave her a dirty look, he wanted to put them in their place and make them feel her pain. He didn't want her to go on thinking that it was her fault when it was the complete opposite. She was getting better, thankfully. But every time she saw one of those imbeciles who had claimed to be her friend, the shameful look was back on her face.

Jonathan knew it was only a matter of time before one of them would open their arms and Brynn would go running back. Whatever this was would only be brief. The logical side of him told him to kick her to the curb before she did it to him. It wouldn't hurt Brynn; to her, he was probably some inferior being who she was just clinging to for the time being.

But the other part of him wanted to believe it was real, that he had actually found a friend in her. When they were together, she made it seem like she wanted to be his friend. Long ago, Jonathan had accepted the fact that he was unlikable. He filled the empty void with the desire to learn and eventually, the loneliness had stopped gnawing at him. But now that he did have someone to confide in, he didn't want to let go.

He knew it was dangerous to trust her. The moment she returned to her old posse, she would go back to forgetting his existence. She would tell her friends how horrible it had been to pretend to be his friend. Jonathan knew he had to get rid of her if he wanted to avoid the pain.

Part of him refused to let go.

Jonathan frowned. He knew which part that was—the one that experienced the pesky warmth for her. _That _was one of his main problems. As much as he hated to admit it, Jonathan knew what it was. _Attraction. _It was a curse that had been bestowed upon him, intended to ruin his life. It was worsening. He found something about her that he liked more and more each day. The way she smirked at him when she teased him; the hoop earring she wore; and how she walked when she was feeling confident as though she owned the world. That was naming a few…

Of all the girls, too! It just _had _to be the one most off limits to him. Brynn was popular; he was not. She was nineteen; he was seventeen. At night, Jonathan lied in bed, staring at the ceiling, and would think to himself, _Why her?_ _What makes Brynn so special from the rest? _

He had tried to focus on her flaws but that was no use. He was beginning to believe that Brynn purposely made him attracted to her. During the last few months, Jonathan had realized how _horribly _flirtatious she could be with her guy friends. He knew it wasn't because she was attracted to them; she was comfortable with them and revealed her true self, a side far from what he would have expected. He could no longer deny that he was infatuated with her.

Jonathan looked up. Across the street, he noticed a black SUV. He slowed down, overcome with a feeling of déjà vu. Was that…?

No, it couldn't be. He hadn't seen that car lurking around in weeks. But then again, it resembled the one that had nearly barreled down on Brynn a few months ago.

Before he could think about what he was doing, Jonathan walked towards the SUV. _Just a peek, _he told himself.

When he was within twenty feet of the car, he realized it was the same one. His stomach flipped. Maybe he would discover who the reckless driver was.

As soon as he came within ten feet, the motor revved and started to drive away. The tinted windows prevented him from getting a glimpse of the driver.

Jonathan groaned. He was being ridiculous. It was probably a different car than the one he had seen a few months ago. Jonathan walked back to the sidewalk and returned to his dorm.

**. . . **

On Sunday afternoon, the majority of the campus had filed out and headed off to tropical resorts. Students changed out of sweaters and jeans and into trunks and bikinis. Fake IDs were handed out and tanning beds were full. The whole campus was experiencing the excitement for spring break.

Except for Jonathan.

He sat in the dark on his bed. At his feet was his packed suitcase. He chewed mercilessly on his thumb nail and the coppery taste of blood stung his tongue. He was going home today. Back to his dingy house in that awful neighborhood. Back to darkness and dread. Worst of all, back to his grandmother.

Jonathan eyed the suitcase. He tried to muster up the courage to unpack it and not go home. He could free himself of her. Jonathan was just a few months away from turning eighteen; he shouldn't allow the woman to have an iron grip on him.

He knew what would happen if he tried something like that. Grandmother would call the university and have them revoke his scholarship. He would be forced to be out of school until he actually was of age to attend college or have to redo his senior year. Jonathan's insides churned at the thought of attending high school again.

Shakily, he pulled himself up, dragged his suitcase outside, and walked to the bus stop. He begged the bus not to arrive so he wouldn't have to return home. His pleas were unheard and soon, the bus rounded the corner, belching smoke and hissed to a stop. Unwillingly, Jonathan boarded.

His nerves were in a jumble the entire ride. Each time they dropped off a patron and drove closer to his stop, his stomach twisted and his heart sped up. By the time they reached his stop, his heart was kicking against his chest like a kangaroo.

His house was a mile away from the bus stop. Walking home on shaky legs while dragging a heavy suitcase behind him was less than ideal. Several times, his luggage got stuck in a pothole or rolled over a puddle. He grimaced, hoping his books were alright.

Jonathan reached his street and momentarily paused. _Run the other way_, his instincts told him but Jonathan walked forward. The street looked the same as last time; a gravel road with three houses. The Springboros were on the left side with his house next door at the end; on the other side lived a sex offender. Jonathan's neighborhood was far from picturesque.

He kept his head up, his eyes forward, and his back straight, something he did to feel brave when he really wasn't. Somehow, he had managed to keep his heart under control.

It immediately started up again when his eyes landed on the abandoned church at the very end of the street.

Nightmares flashed through his mind of being locked in there with hundreds of blood thirsty crows pecking at his hands, face, arms, and sides. He had to stop briefly for fear of falling over and having a panic attack. Three times had his grandmother locked him in there with the crows, the most recent time being last summer. Jonathan gulped. _Don't think about it…_ his conscience whispered. _Don't show fear. _

He convinced himself to start walking again and soon he was pushing his key into the lock. The door creaked when he opened it. The foyer was dark and uninviting, just as he had remembered. Jonathan quietly shut the door behind him, not wanting to alert his grandmother of his arrival.

She must have been sitting in the living room because she appeared almost immediately. Her milky blue eyes glared at him and her lips formed a thin line.

"You're late," she said stiffly.

"There was traffic," he lied, making sure to look in his grandmother's eyes. He had become an excellent liar while living with her and knew what not to do so she would not be suspicious.

"Take a bus that leaves earlier," she chided. "I do not appreciate you being tardy."

"Yes, Grandmother."

"I have a list of chores waiting for you in the kitchen."

Jonathan nodded. He walked past her, rolling his suitcase behind him. The wheel struck the leg of a table, sending a glass vase to the floor. It shattered to a million pieces. Before he had time to look up, he felt the back of his grandmother's hand slap across his cheek.

"Fool!" Grandmother snarled. Jonathan winced and trained his eyes on the floor, trying to ignore the pain in his cheek. "Clean this up."

She disappeared into the living room. Jonathan went to the supply closet to fetch a broom. After cleaning up the glass shards, he sulked into the kitchen.

His eyes nearly bugged out of his head when he read her list of chores. It went on for a page and half, ranging from cleaning the dishes to mowing the lawn to fixing a broken window in the shed. This was what he had to expect for the next two weeks.

He sighed and went up to his room to drop off his suit case. He wondered what Brynn was doing at the moment. She was probably enjoying herself on the beach or getting wasted at a party. Even though he didn't agree with most of the things she did, he found himself insanely jealous of her.

"Jonathan!" his grandmother screeched. "Those chores aren't going to do themselves!"

He closed his eyes. "Yes, Grandmother."

Jonathan went downstairs to work on his chores. The next two weeks would be a blast…

**. . . **

**A/N: Chapter 27! Sorry this wasn't up as quickly as I had hoped. I wasn't in one of those writing moods so I struggled to find the right words. You know what I mean? I think I'm over it, the ending was pretty easy to write. **

**Thank you reviewers! We are halfway to 300! Looks like you guys will be getting another sneak peak sometime soon ;) If you have any suggestions for sneak peaks or things you want to see, let me know so I can plan ahead. But anyway, thank you Maliumpkinss, FieryLady36, JediWho, MorraHadon, Shannon, Amber, cbaudelaire, dEnIsE tHe StRaNgE, and RivalsAreAllies for reviewing! Thank you everyone who added the stories to their alerts (almost 100 followers, yippee!)! Thank you Maliumpkinss and kaflute14 for reviewing the sneak peak! I love you guys so much and if I could, I would hand out cookies and furry animals for all the feedback you give me. Honestly, I'm so blessed to have you amazing readers. :)**

**GOOD NEWS! I found my outline! It was just in a different file than I thought it was! Woohoo! **

**According to the outline, there are five chapters left until freshman year is over. If I may say so, I think these will be the best ones so far and your guys' favorites. A lot of stuff is about to happen in these last few updates. Once Chapter 32 is posted, I'm taking about a two week break from updating so I can get my shit together and work on the outline for sophomore year and beyond. You'll hardly notice that I'm gone because you'll be in so much shock from the last chapter (hopefully). Please don't go too crazy, I'll be back ASAP. **

**Feel free to PM me, I love talking to you guys and will talk about practically anything! **

**The next chapter you guys…he he he…it's gonna be a good one. There will be screaming fangirls and fanboys… ;) **

**Until next time! Please review and leave me your thoughts!**


	28. Chapter 28

Jonathan sat on his bed with his hands in his lap. He couldn't remember why he was sitting there. He also wasn't sure why Brynn was walking around his room.

She casually stood in front of his book case, examining the novels tightly packed together. She wore the same outfit she had worn at Christmas dinner despite the warm weather.

The only sound in the room was the sound of her shoes clicking against the hardwood floor.

Brynn pulled one book from the case and flipped through the pages. Her hair was draped over her shoulder and shaded a side of her face. She held the book up. "Is it any good?"

He didn't bother looking at the title. "You wouldn't like it."

She narrowed her eyes. "How come?"

"You hate books that don't have pictures," he teased.

Brynn smirked. "Ha, ha, you're so funny."

She turned away and placed the book back on the shelf. "Come here," she called over her shoulder.

Obediently, he stood and walked over to her. He stood next to her and examined the books lined on the shelves.

Brynn cocked her head to the side and asked, "Which one should I read?"

Jonathan frowned. Why was she here? He ignored the question and turned back to the shelf. None of the books had titles but he seemed to know which ones she would enjoy and which ones she would hate. Jonathan began to pull books off the shelf and made a pile. He walked back and forth, grabbing copies. Brynn leisurely followed with her hands behind her back, her dark eyes watching knowingly.

He knew she shouldn't be here. If Grandmother came upstairs and saw her, she would go insane. Yet Jonathan could care less. All that mattered was finding a book for Brynn to read.

As he browsed the wide selection, Brynn hopped onto his desk and patiently waited. Her legs swung back and forth and a smirk played out on her face. "Any day now," she teased.

"Shh," he shushed her and for once she obeyed. "I need to find the perfect one."

She rolled her eyes. "Hurry up, Jay."

After a few more minutes of searching, he found the one he wanted. It was a thin, white book. He flipped through the pages and although he didn't understand what was written, he knew it was the perfect book for her.

"Here it is." He handed it to her. Brynn opened it and began to read the words on the page. A feint smile formed on her lips.

"Read to me," she surprised him.

"Read to you?"

"You heard me."

She handed the book to him and Jonathan accepted it. He stood in front of her and began to read. The words on the page made no sense to him yet words flew from his mouth, creating some story he had never heard before. As he dove deeper and deeper into the story, he lost his ability to hear. He felt like he was underwater and his own voice was muffled.

Every now and then, he would look up at Brynn. She was listening intently and had a faraway look in her eyes. Whenever she caught him looking, a small smile formed on her lips, encouraging him to keep reading.

Before he knew it, he was flipping to the last page and ending the story. Jonathan slowly closed the book and placed it next to her leg. They stared at each other for a few minutes before Brynn hopped off the desk and pressed herself against him. Her hands rested on his chest and she slowly leaned in towards his ear.

"You should read to me more often," she murmured, her voice like velvet. "I like the sound of your voice."

The warmth spread from his core to the rest of his body like a wildfire. He gently pressed her against the desk, his heart racing, and his stomach doing somersaults. He reached up and grabbed her hands, bringing them down to her sides. His fingertips trailed up and down her arms, sending a ripple of shivers through her body. Brynn pressed herself against him, leaving no space between them.

Slowly, Jonathan leaned down and pressed his own mouth to her ear. "What else should I read to you?"

Before she could answer, before anything else could have happened, a loud ringing caused his heart to jump. Jonathan leaped into the air, startled by his alarm clock. He fell off the side of the bed in a tangle of bed sheets. A sharp pain in his behind caused him to hiss and he blindly searched around for his alarm clock.

Once he had turned it off, Jonathan lied back down and stared at the ceiling. A cold sweat had formed over his body and his heart hammered so fast he thought it might give out.

_What. Was. That?_

Jonathan pushed himself up and looked around the room. All his books were on the bookshelf where he had last left them. Brynn was nowhere in sight. It had been a dream.

A very disturbing dream.

_You liked it,_ a voice in the back of his head grumbled. Jonathan's face flared bright red and he looked down. He felt so _shameful_.

His alarm clock went off again. Jonathan slammed down on it so hard, it nearly fell off the table. He got out of bed, his backside still sore from falling on the floor, and poked his head into the hallway. It was dark and he could vaguely hear his grandmother snoring. Jonathan tiptoed to the bathroom and took a quick, cold shower.

When he got out and changed, the sun was beginning to rise. Grandmother's door was open and he thought he heard her rummaging around downstairs. Jonathan sighed, relieved to be going back to the university that day. The last two weeks had been brutal, filled with strenuous chores and slaps across the face. He thought it would never end.

His suitcase was packed and ready to go. Jonathan dragged it down the stairs and was halfway to the door when he heard his grandmother call his name.

"Yes, Grandmother?" Jonathan called back through gritted teeth.

"Clean the dishes before you go."

Jonathan sneered and glanced at the clock on the wall. The bus arrived in half an hour. He sighed and walked back to the kitchen to quickly clean up the dishes waiting in the sink.

She sat at the kitchen table, sipping a cup of coffee, and watching with her watery eyes. Jonathan refused to look at her as he cleaned the pots and plates in the sink. He wanted out of there _now._

"Anything else?" Jonathan asked as he dried off the last bowl.

"I have tons of things that need to be finished," Grandmother snapped. "I do not approve of you living in those dorms when I am in need of your services."

He said nothing.

"I'm sure all kinds of sinful things go on at that campus," she spat. "You're going to Church every day?"

"At eight o'clock sharp," he lied.

"You should go twice a day. I have no doubt that sinful things are on your mind with you being surrounded by floozies and bad decisions."

He hoped she didn't notice how red his face turned. The dream briefly flashed across his eyes and he had his mouth on Brynn's ear again.

"You may go," she dismissed him, her words a blessing. Jonathan curtly nodded, grabbed his suitcase, and slammed the door behind him. The cool morning air filled his lungs and felt refreshing on his skin. _Freedom_.

How on earth was he going to survive the upcoming summer break?

Jonathan's bus arrived and took him back to the campus, which was still deserted for the most part. Jonathan spent his morning unpacking and rereading his notes. Around noon, students started filing in after the break, their faces sun kissed and still smelling of sun screen. Sometime after three, Brynn texted Jonathan.

_My plane's getting ready to leave and I'll be back tonight. Let's get together and finish up the project. We can get something to eat. _

A few seconds later, a second text followed.

_If you laugh at me, I'll cut your tongue out and feed it to wild dogs. See you soon!_

Jonathan frowned. Why would he laugh at her? He shrugged and went back to his notes for the majority of the afternoon.

Around eight, someone knocked on his door. He hopped off his bed, adjusted his shirt, and opened the door. He nearly choked on his tongue when he saw Brynn.

So _that _was why she warned him not to laugh at her.

Brynn scowled at him as Jonathan's shoulders shook violently. "I told you not to laugh."

"Did you forget something, Brynn?" Jonathan snickered. "You look a little pink…"

Pink was far from accurate. Red was more like it. Her face, arms, and legs were horribly sunburnt and her nose had started to peal. Brynn wobbled into his room, groaning as she sat on the bed opposite his.

"I fell asleep at the beach," she mumbled.

"I'm surprised your skin isn't falling off," he teased. Jonathan noticed the folder she was tightly gripping. "Are those the pictures?"

"Yepp, blown up and everything. I brought the mats—we just have to cut them out. Do you still want to get dinner?"

He was about to respond when he imagined his fingers running up and down her arms. Jonathan coughed and looked away. "Umm…"

"Great, let's go. I'm starving." Brynn stood and walked out of his room. Jonathan sighed; this was bound to be awkward.

"Where are we going?" he asked after locking the door and catching up with her.

"Somewhere cheap."

"Anywhere but All-Stars."

Brynn nodded in agreement. "Checkers it is."

They left his dorm building and walked across campus towards the restaurants. The sun was setting behind the main building and the air was cooling off. Brynn walked next to him, her eyes alert. She studied the bushes intensely and swept over the landscape in front of them.

Jonathan cleared his throat. "Looking for something?"

"Huh? Uh, no. Just…watching."

"For what?"

Brynn shrugged. She checked over her shoulder a few times as if she thought someone was following them. Brynn lowered her voice and said, "I think there's a creeper on campus."

"A creeper?"

She nodded vigorously. "I always feel like someone's watching. I swear I see someone's shadow jumping behind cars and bushes and then when I get closer, no one's there."

Jonathan thought of the black SUV he had tried to approach before break. He didn't want to alert Brynn so he didn't mention it.

"And then, before break, the weirdest thing happened," she told him. "I was walking around campus and I could have sworn someone was following me. I heard footsteps and when I tried to catch them, no one was there. And then all these car alarms went off! It was like someone pressed a button that caused all the cars on the street to go off. It was so weird."

That was odd. What would cause car alarms to randomly go off? A radio wave? Jonathan shrugged. "You're probably just paranoid after the whole thing with Riley and Griffin. It's not unusual to imagine things are there when they really aren't after something like that has happened."

Brynn shook her head. "It's been going on before that. It started back in the fall but abruptly stopped around Thanksgiving." She sighed. "You're probably right. I must be paranoid."

They walked into the diner and were seated in a vinyl booth. He was still bothered by what she had shared with him. Why was that car lingering around? Could there be someone watching from the shadows?

Jonathan tried to push the thoughts from his mind. Brynn was paranoid, after all. She had been the victim of a horrible attack and was dealing with the after math. As for the car alarms, a radio wave must have tripped them. It all made perfect sense to him.

After ordering their food, Brynn handed Jonathan his pictures and explained how to cut out the mats. He poked holes in the middle with his scissors and would then cut out a rectangle. Finally, he glued the back of it and placed it over the picture. The process was fairly simple and Jonathan fell into a pattern of cutting and gluing.

The waitress arrived with their food and they took a break from cutting out the mats. Brynn nibbled on her chicken tenders and Jonathan dipped his fries into his milkshake.

"Ew," Brynn scowled. "Why are you dipping your fries in your drink?"

"It's good," he defended. "You've never tried this?"

She shook her head. Jonathan rolled his eyes and handed her a fry. "Try it."

She shrugged and dipped the fry into his milkshake. Brynn made a funny face after eating it. "It's weird."

"You're out of your mind," Jonathan muttered. "It's only the best combination ever created."

"Someone's passionate about their fries," she teased. Brynn's eyes wandered to the other side of the restaurant and she snickered. "Almost as passionate as they are."

Jonathan turned around and scowled. A couple sitting on the same side of a booth were leaning in for a kiss. The girl was practically on top of the boy.

"That's disturbing," Jonathan muttered. "We're trying to eat."

"She's giving it to him," Brynn snickered.

Jonathan made a face and threw a fry at her. "Stop watching, you perv."

"I'm not watching!" she laughed. "Why are you blushing?"

"I'm not."

"You are!" Brynn leaned forward and lowered her voice. "You think she's pretty, don't you? Are you jealous?"

"Absolutely not. I don't think she's pretty."

"Then you think the _guy's _hot?"

"No, Brynn!" Jonathan's face flared red. Why were they having this conversation? "I'm not attracted to every person I see."

"Hey, I'm not calling you a Sydney," she said. "You've been attracted to someone before, haven't you?"

"No one," he lied. Could she see through him?

"You've never been attracted to anyone? What about past girlfriends—"

"I've never dated anyone."

Brynn's eyebrows shot up to her hairline. "You've never dated anyone? You didn't even have a kindergarten girlfriend?"

"Never."

Brynn's jaw dropped and she stared at him for several seconds. He didn't like this in the least. This wasn't the sort of information he went around sharing. Especially not with Brynn.

She slammed her palms on the table and whisper-screamed, "Jonathan Crane, are you a virgin?"

Well, that hadn't been expected.

Jonathan stared at her in shock. He sputtered and tried to form a sentence but it was no good. His throat was constricted and his tongue felt too large for his mouth.

_We are not having this conversation, Brynn! _He wanted to scream at her.

Brynn began to giggle. She leaned back in her seat and shook her head. "Oh my god, you're a virgin. No way."

"What, like you aren't?" he snapped.

Her silence and guilty grin told him otherwise.

"You and _Brendan_?" The words flew out of his mouth before he could stop himself. He grimaced, not wanting to have this conversation but at the same time, was extremely curious.

"_No!_" Brynn exclaimed. She pushed her hair behind her ears, a habit she did when she was uncomfortable. "This guy I used to date. He doesn't go here."

"Oh," Jonathan squeaked.

Brynn awkwardly laughed. "It only happened once, so don't think I'm a slut."

"I don't."

"It didn't mean anything either. It was junior year and we had been together for a while—"

"Brynn—"

"—and one thing led to another—"

"I don't want to—"

"—and you know, we did it—"

"Stop—"

"—and then we broke up. It was as simple as that. I didn't even have a scare because two days later, I got my—"

"Okay, great story," Jonathan cut her off. "I really didn't need to know that."

She laughed. "You were the one who asked."

"I did no such thing."

"Sure." Brynn rolled her eyes and smiled. "Let's finish this up."

"Gladly," Jonathan muttered. Of all the useless things she could have told him, it just _had _to be that. No doubt his face was the color of lava. Brynn always found a way to make their conversations awkward…

"Did I make you uncomfortable?" Brynn asked several minutes later.

He kept his eyes on the mat he was cutting. "Just a little."

She snickered. "You're the only person I've told so don't go around telling people."

"I won't," he promised. _Please end this conversation. _

Her next words caught him off guard. "You're a good friend, Jay."

Jonathan stopped cutting and looked up at her. She stared at him with a small smile on her face and her eyes were gleaming. He looked for any indications that she was lying; he found none. Brynn actually considered him to be a friend.

"Th-thanks," he stumbled over his words. "That's very…nice of you to say."

She snorted and went back to work. Jonathan watched her for a moment longer, trying to understand why she chose him to be friends with. Out of everyone on campus, she had chosen him.

_It doesn't mean anything, _he reasoned with himself.

_No, _he quietly answered. _It means _something.

**. . . **

Jonathan dropped his backpack on the tile floor and sat on his stool. The classroom was filling with students and Roger was scurrying around, cleaning off the board and moving things around. Students carried their projects in and placed them at the front of the room, commenting on each other's work. Brynn was one of the last students to arrive.

She walked over to their table and plopped down next to him. "Are you ready for this?"

Jonathan frowned. He hated presenting things in front of a class. "I suppose."

She gently nudged him in the side. "Come on, it's going to be fun."

"Since when do you get excited about projects?"

Roger stood at the front of the room and clapped, trying to get their attention. Brynn shrugged and faced forward.

Their professor wore a large smile on his face. "From the looks of it, you guys have gone above and beyond with your projects! I can't wait to hear your presentations." He turned around and picked up a black hat. "I'll draw your names from the hat to decide who presents first."

He picked out sheets of paper at random and called names. Brynn and Jonathan were the seventh group to present. Jonathan sighed; could they just get this over with already?

The members of each group presented their four favorite pictures. Most were photos of flowers or tennis shoes; one boy had taken a picture of a video game console; another had taken a picture of a dead squirrel on the side of the road. Jonathan grew more and more impatient. This was the most pointless project he had ever been assigned. This kid was going to get credit for taking a picture of a dead squirrel? _Really?_

Finally, they were up. Brynn bounced to the front of the room, her ponytail swinging. She set up the photos across the board and Jonathan leaned against the wall.

"Jonathan can go first," Brynn announced to the class.

He rolled his eyes and pushed himself off the wall. Roger and his classmates had their attention on him—he knew it was only because Brynn was in his group and they were expecting some dazzling display that would take their breaths away. Might as well hurry up and talk about his photos.

Jonathan cleared his throat and pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. He usually didn't feel nervous when presenting things to a class but this time he felt his chest constrict and his fingertips tingle.

"So," he began quietly. Jonathan slightly turned around and motioned to his pictures. "I chose these ones because they reminded me of spring and gave off warmth…I guess. I thought the yellow on the taxi stood out against the buildings and the tree, like I said, reminded me of spring."

Brynn looked at him expectantly. _Go on_, she mouthed. Jonathan froze; what else was he supposed to say?

"Can you find any hidden meanings in these photographs, Jonathan?" Roger inquired.

Hidden meanings? Was he high? What was so enlightening about a taxi?

"Err," he mumbled, unsure of what to say. He quickly studied the photographs behind him. "Well…I guess you wouldn't usually be reminded of spring due to a taxi?"

Pathetic.

Roger nodded politely. "Thank you, Jonathan. Brynn, what have you got for us today?"

The class straightened up and turned their attention to the girl. A smile was on Brynn's face and she looked genuinely happy to be up there. _Probably because she knows how good she is, _Jonathan thought bitterly.

Brynn's photos were stunning, he had to admit. One was a photo of the city skyline. The blue sky in the background was like a canvas and the buildings stood out against it. It almost looked as though it had been painted by a talented artist. One would never guess that it was a photo of Gotham.

The other one she had taken while lying on her back in the grass. Above her, the first leaves of the season were gracing tree branches, swaying in the wind. Rays of sunlight shone through the tree and made it appear dreamlike.

"Everyone stereotypes Gotham; it's a dirty city loaded with crooks—which is partially true. Gotham can be pretty rough at times." Brynn shrugged and everyone nodded in agreement. "But everyone forgets that it was once a great city. In the previous decades, Gotham thrived with industry and life. It was the heart of the country and everyone came running, looking for opportunities. Now, that is forgotten and everyone forgets about the true beauty of the city. Let's be honest—every city has its rougher areas. But each city also has beauty and meaning. With Gotham, you have to keep your eyes peeled; it's there, but hard to find."

Jonathan stared at her from the corner of his eye. Had that just come out of her mouth? That wasn't something Brynn normally said. She sounded so…_insightful. _

Roger rubbed his chin. "Even with all the corruption in the courts and the gangs, you still manage to find beauty in it?"

Brynn nodded.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we have ourselves an artist. Only they can see past the labels and understand the beauty of things."

Brynn tried hard not to grin. She looked down at the floor and scuffed her shoe against the tile. Jonathan scoffed.

"My other picture shows life and, like Jonathan said, the upcoming of spring. Winters here are always rough and harsh. Spring is meant to be a relaxing, quiet time. It's a break from the stress and fills people with relief. Spring promises warmth and better days. As long as we make it through the winter, we will be rewarded with the comfortable, stress-free atmosphere of spring."

Roger asked a few more questions and praised her. Jonathan was replaying her summaries in his mind. Who was this girl? All of a sudden, Brynn Kiley, the notorious party girl and slacker, was speaking like a scholar. She was insightful and kept her eyes open, finding things in objects that no one else could ever see. She was gifted, talented, and passionate about photography. For a second, she reminded him of himself. Brynn was the same way with photography as he was with Psychology.

She finished her presentation and they sat down. Neither of them spoke for the rest of class. Jonathan was making mental notes of Brynn. He wanted to take out his notebook and copy the notes down and compare them from other ones he had taken throughout the year. He wanted to observe how she had changed.

When class was dismissed, Brynn stood up and bounced out of the classroom. She was cheerful and pleased with how their presentation had gone. Jonathan was about to catch up with her when Roger stopped him.

"I must say I loved the photo Brynn turned in of you. You have magnificent eyes. I actually have a friend who photographs eyes for eye doctors' offices and you have the perfect eyes for it—"

"What photo?" Jonathan asked, dumbfounded by his professor's words.

His eyebrows furrowed. "Did Brynn not tell you? She turned in a few extra photos for extra credit and one was of your eyes."

What?

Roger rounded his desk and searched through the piles. He retrieved a picture and handed it to Jonathan. "Attached is the paragraph she was required to write."

Sure enough, one of the photographs she had snapped of his eye stared back at him. Jonathan frowned; what was so special about his eyes? They were just eyes.

He flipped the mat over and read the summary on the back. His brows furrowed deeper and deeper with each word he read.

_I had never really noticed his eyes up until now. Whenever I looked at them, I felt cold and rejected. I only looked at them and never into them. Once I had looked inside, I became more appreciative. He has a constant look of curiosity in his eyes. There is always a desire to know more—it fuels him and he is constantly searching. I have never met anyone who is so fascinated by the world around him and wanting to understand its quirks and secrets. _

Jonathan reread it several times, unable to believe that she had written this about him. He was still trying to grasp it when Roger spoke.

"It's interesting, huh? That girl—man, she has talent. I've never had a student who looks at the world the way she looks at it through the lens of a camera. She'll go far if she decides to make a career out of it. Pretty impressive, don't you think?"

Jonathan's throat was dry. He nodded, unable to find words. He handed the photo back and stared at his loafers. "She's…very talented."

Jonathan walked out of the classroom, unsure of how to feel. Offended for exposing him and using the photo without his permission? Happy that she took an interest in him that no one else had? He walked to Psychology, numb. He sat down in the class, took notes, and still was unable to feel anything. His mind wandered but failed to come up with an answer.

It was towards the end of class, when Mapps was finishing up on the slideshow, when the familiar warmth suddenly ignited in his stomach. It spread to his fingertips, toes, lips, ears, everywhere. This time it was different. Usually, it was either lukewarm or unbearably hot and made him feel uncomfortable. This time, it was just the right temperature and filled him with a feeling of safety.

He could trust Brynn. He could engage in a friendship with her. Brynn was not out to expose and destroy him—she wanted to do the exact opposite and welcome him into her life. No one had ever done that for him before. Neither his grandmother nor his classmates had ever taken any interest in him. He was forgettable and unworthy—no one wanted him.

But Brynn did. She supposedly cared about him enough to take him under her wing and befriend him. She was different from the rest. Brynn was his friend.

He wanted to let her into his life, allow her to look into his mind, learn his secrets. He wanted to put his trust in her. He wanted someone to call his friend.

But at the same time, he wanted more. So much more.

He thought of the dream again. He thought of how her breath had tickled his ear, how she had smiled at him, a smile intended only for him. He felt the soft fabric of her sweater underneath his fingertips and the way her heart beat against her chest. It had been a dream but it had felt _so real. _

Jonathan craved her; not in a sexual way but in a way that went beyond friendship. He knew he could never have her but in that moment, Jonathan didn't care; he wanted her as his own. He wanted her to confide in him when she was upset and he wanted to be the one to comfort her; he wanted her to smile at him the way she had in his dream; he wanted to leave his comfort zone for _her_. She was the only one he would ever do that for. No one else. Only her.

Jonathan knew he was damned. Brynn was out of reach and would never feel the same way about him. There were too many obstacles that would prevent it from ever becoming a reality. Feeling this way about her would only result in heartbreak and disappointment. She would be his downfall. The armor he had created for himself would crack and collapse, exposing him for the world to see.

But the warmth in his stomach made him hold on tight to his fantasy that she could possibly feel the same about him. Hopefully, he would regain his common sense and understand that it would never work out. Then he could rid himself of this pesky "crush." He could accept her as a friend. That was the wiser option.

But the dream flashed across his eyes again and all he could think of was Brynn telling him that she liked his voice and how close she was standing to him.

**. . . **

_Charlie had paid off the nurses and doctors delivering their baby not to tell anyone that it was his. He took Olivia to a hospital a few towns over, wearing a baseball cap, sunglasses, and sweats. He looked like a young dad arriving with his pregnant girlfriend. No one would have guessed that this man was a powerful CEO and that this woman had once been his mistress. They did not behave like a mistress and a client; they acted like a husband and wife, madly in love. _

_Olivia was in labor for several hours. She was irritable and cursed in Spanish, snapping at the nurses on several occasions. They were used to cranky, pregnant women and simply shrugged off her rude comments. _

_At one point, Charlie went downstairs to the hospital's gift shop. He purchased a balloon, a blue, stuffed puppy, and earrings for Liv. She calmed down when he presented her with the presents. _

_Early that morning, the doctors made her push. She screamed, shouted, and cried, squeezing Charlie's hand so hard, he thought it would be squished. Finally, the baby was out and began to cry. _

_The doctor announced that it was a girl. _

_The moment he laid eyes on her, he was in love. The tiny baby's mouth formed an o and loud wails came out of her tiny body. His eyes watered and he took the baby in his arms and began to laugh. This was his daughter. He had a baby girl, a sweet, lovable, baby girl. _

_Olivia reached for her and begged to have the baby at once. Charlie unwillingly handed her over and watched as Olivia's face contorted and she began to cry. She held the baby close to her in a possessive way. _

_Once she was cleaned up, the doctors left them alone. Charlie sat on the bed, stroking Olivia's hair. They had gotten the little girl to quiet down and she was now sound asleep in her mother's arms. Charlie was smiling uncontrollably. _

"_We don't have a name," Olivia murmured. Dark circles were under her eyes and she looked ready to pass out at a moment's notice. _

_They had been convinced it would be a boy. Olivia had knitted little, blue baby outfits with the letters COB across the chest. The nursery was blue and they had gotten blue and green stuffed animals. Not a single thing in the nursery was pink. _

"_What do you want to name her?" Charlie asked. "Do you like Tiffany or Claire?"_

_Olivia grimaced. "Those names are so girly. No, I want her to have a strong name."_

_Charlie mentally rattled off names in his mind that sounded strong. Elizabeth, Anna, Rita…none of them seemed right. _

"_What are your parents' names?" Olivia asked suddenly. _

"_Brian and Lynn."_

_Olivia furrowed her brow and began to mumble names. "Briana, Lynnette, Leann, Brenna…no…What if I combined them? What does that make?"_

"_Brynn," Charlie answered. _

_Olivia smiled and stroked their baby's head. "Brynn…I like it. It's strong and simple."_

_Charlie smiled. "Brynn Branden. It has a nice ring to it. What about a middle name?"_

"_María," Olivia said automatically. "That was my grandmother's name."_

"_Brynn María Branden…it's perfect." A large grin formed on his face. "She's ours, Liv. Our little girl."_

"_Our little girl, indeed," Olivia said sleepily. She yawned and her eyes fluttered shut. "Ours…"_

_Charlie took Brynn from her mother's arms and allowed Olivia to sleep. He leaned down, kissed the top of her head, and whispered, "I love you."_

_He carried her across the room and sat down in an armchair. He held her close to his chest and kissed her forehead._

"_My baby girl," he whispered lovingly. "My little Brynn."_

**. . . **

**A/N: Chapter 28! Yay! We're almost done with freshman year! Sorry this took a while to post. Words aren't easily finding their way onto the page and it took a while to write some of the scenes. **

**Thank you margaret7122, ShaydesofDarkness, Shannon, lovely-logic, Amber, MorraHadon, FieryLady36, MidnightFedora, RivalsAreAllies, dEnIsE tHe StRaNgE, Yusuke, cbaudelaire, Solstice White, and ZigZagFanHoles for the reviews! Thank you anyone who added the story to their alerts. I seriously love you all and I know I say it every chapter but it's true. **

**It's official—Brynn and Jonathan's shipping name is 'Shenanigans.' (Thank you RivalsAreAllies!) GO TEAM SHENANIGANS! (Sorry, I'm so sleep deprived and my brain's just going wee-oo-wee-oo-wee-oo.)**

**I know I jumped around a lot with the pregnancy and didn't go into much detail but like I said in a past A/N, the pregnancy was uneventful. I wanted to get it out of the way and get into all the stuff that happened afterward. **

**I promise I'll update faster next time! But now I'm going to bed because I'm exhausted. So let's plan on Sunday (at the latest) for a new update? That sounds good. **

**Goodnight, friends! Read and review please!**


	29. Chapter 29

"So I have a question," Brynn said cautiously. She and Jonathan sat at a table in the mess hall late at night. The cafeteria was nearly deserted and no one paid much attention to them.

Jonathan, who was in the middle of working on some paper for Psychology, looked up at her. "About?"

Brynn twirled some noodles around her fork. He wouldn't like this conversation. "About your little…observation book…"

_Here come the fireworks, _she thought.

Surprisingly, Jonathan's expression was patient. He put his pen down and folded his hands. "What about it?"

Brynn's brows furrowed. She hadn't expected that. She had prepared herself for him to lash out and retreat to the back of his mind.

"What's it for?" Brynn asked then mentally slapped herself. What was it for? She knew what it was for! _Ugh, stop sounding like an idiot all the time…_

"Observations…?"

"Yeah, I get that, but why? Why did you start taking notes on everyone?" Brynn struggled with her words.

Jonathan leaned back in his chair and frowned. His eyebrows furrowed and he had a thoughtful look in his eyes. For several minutes, he sat silently. Brynn thought she would explode; it had taken her all night to build the courage to ask him about his notebook. It was a sensitive topic; Jonathan didn't like sharing information about his personal life and Brynn had stolen it twice. This was the last thing he probably wanted to talk about.

She wished she had asked a different question but that particular one had been flitting around in her mind for several months. She understood that Jonathan had a passion for Psychology. What she didn't understand was why he wanted to observe everyone around him and take notes on their behavior. It baffled her.

Jonathan looked her in the eyes finally. "I started studying Psychology when I was ten."

Brynn's mouth pursed. That hadn't been her question. She opened her mouth to restate the question but he stopped her and said, "I'll get to that in a moment. It makes more sense if I start from the beginning."

Brynn nodded and sat quietly. Jonathan's brows furrowed again and he stared at his notebook for a few moments. She had a feeling he was trying to collect his thoughts.

Brynn was practically on the edge of her chair. Was Jonathan about to open up to her? How much would he tell her? She had a feeling that whatever he told her he had never admitted before. Jonathan was no open book. He had to trust you before he started giving out information.

Excitement flickered through her like lightning. Jonathan trusted her. Each time she thought about it, it made her feel giddy and special.

"I started studying Psychology when I was ten," he repeated again. "I was always into science and math and one day, I just happened to stumble upon a book that covered the topic. It was basic but it caught my interest so I dove even further into it. It didn't take up all my time and I only studied it occasionally."

Brynn could tell he was uncomfortable. He was moving his hands around quite a bit—adjusting his glasses, brushing his hair behind his ears and so on. She sat still as a statue while he opened up to her.

"As you know, I don't get along with people that well. I'm subject to teasing and bullying," Jonathan said sourly. "For a while, I thought something was wrong with me and that's why they picked on me. It was a phase and I got over it. But the question still hung in the air—why did people feel the need to bully each other? So I started to research this and along came the notebook. Over time, I started to think of other questions—why do people act shy or rowdy around others? Things like that. This was also about the time that my obsession for Psychology was beginning. I wanted to know why we behave this way. I filled up one notebook, then another and another. I have dozens of notebooks dedicated to observations. The one that you always get your hands on—" Brynn blushed with embarrassment—"is just one of many. Does that answer your question?"

It was so simple. Most people would not have been satisfied with this but Brynn felt as though she had discovered some grand secret. Jonathan had never opened up that much about himself so she felt like she had just been given half of his mind. It was silly but she felt accomplished.

"So that's why you got into Psychology? Because you wanted to know why people bullied you?" she asked.

His face darkened. "That's part of it. I also find it fascinating. It's an outlet for me. Psychology is such a vast field and there are always new things being discovered. The mind is like the ocean; there's so much that we've hardly covered anything even though we feel like we have loads of information."

"You make it seem so fascinating," Brynn replied.

He scoffed in reply and looked down at his notes. "Now answer a question for me."

"Shoot."

"Why do you party so much?"

Brynn rolled her eyes. "That's a stupid question. I haven't been to a party in over a month."

"There's no such thing as a 'stupid question,'" Jonathan scolded. "And I just answered your question so it's only fair if you answer mine."

Brynn scowled and wrapped some more noodles around her fork. "Because it's fun."

"What's so fun about acting like a fool in front of other people?" Jonathan pushed. "You can't possibly enjoy it that much. Do you feel pressured into going to all those parties?"

"What do you mean pressured? I go because I want to," she defended.

"Or because you want to be seen," he replied. He cocked his head to the side. "Is it an insecurity problem? Do you feel like you won't be accepted if you don't?"

Brynn glared at him. This was probably payback for picking apart his mind. "I don't have an insecurity problem—"

"Yes, you do." Jonathan shrugged innocently. "It's not as bad as it used to be but it's still there."

"How so?"

"You duck whenever you're with me in public." His face was neutral and gave nothing away but she thought she saw something flicker across his eyes.

"That's not true," she whined. "Why are you so convinced that I'm insecure?"

"You're a people pleaser, for one part," he stated. Jonathan began to list things off on his fingers. "You look the other way when people stare at us and you only want to hang out at night. You act on impulse because you think you're being funny."

Where was this coming from? He sounded like he did when he used to hate her. But there was no indication of hatred on his face—just curiosity. Brynn shifted around in her seat. He wasn't the first person to point out that she was insecure. Or that she was a people pleaser. Or that she acted on impulse. Hadn't she had a similar conversation with Cadence a few months ago? Supposedly it was obvious that she was insecure…

But she had her reasons. She knew she was a people pleaser but she did that because she didn't like to start drama. She was better about acting on her impulses and didn't do it as often. Yes, she supposed it was true that she did those things so she would be accepted in the group.

But she had a good reason, didn't she? She could blame it on the fact that her mother was a psychopath. People didn't want to associate themselves with the children of psychopaths. Back at St. Mary's, people had always watched her with wary eyes. They waited for her to snap and turn out like Olivia. Brynn had to prove them wrong. She had to prove that she was fun and kind and stable. She couldn't stop once she had accepted their approval. She had to keep going. Their opinion of her could change at a moment's notice. Doing what they wanted her to do always seemed like a safer option.

She couldn't admit any of that to Jonathan. He didn't know what her connection was to Olivia Rivers. How would he react if he did? Would he think she was a freak? Would he shun her? Scrutinize her? Brynn enjoyed Jonathan's company and didn't want to lose him so suddenly. At the moment, he was the only one she had. What was she supposed to tell him?

He was waiting for an answer. Brynn shrugged and played with her food. "It's…complicated. I have my reasons."

"Reasons?" he asked. "What kind of reasons?"

Brynn sighed. "I really don't feel like talking about it, Jay. I'll tell you some other time."

Jonathan studied her and she was afraid he would keep pressing the matter. He surprised her by nodding and dropping the subject.

They talked about a few other things during their meal. They talked about exams and agreed to prepare for their Photography exam together (even though it supposedly was a joke). At half past nine, they stood and walked toward the doors to leave. At the same time that they were getting ready to walk out the doors, Meredith White was walking in.

They paused and stared at each other for a second. Brynn felt nervous; was Meredith going to say something? Would she ignore her? Lash out at her?

Meredith's mouth pursed into a smile. "Brynn. I haven't seen you in a while."

Brynn's mouth felt like sand paper. What was she supposed to say? You haven't seen me because you've been ignoring me? Instead, she tripped over her words and said, "I-I know."

Tension hung in the air. Meredith's eyes flashed to Jonathan and her brows quirked up. "Who's this?"

The words flew out of her mouth before she could think of what she was saying. "Jonathan. We're just finishing up some homework."

Jonathan's brows furrowed in confusion. Brynn didn't have her books with her nor had she been doing homework during dinner. Jonathan had been the one studying. His mouth turned into a straight line and he looked away.

"I was just getting some dessert. Have you eaten yet? You should join me," Meredith invited her. She didn't glance at Jonathan once.

Brynn swallowed. She wasn't sure what to do? Leave with Jonathan or stay with Meredith? Jonathan answered for her.

"I have to get back to the dorm. I'll see you later, Brynn." He turned on his heel and left. He hadn't even waited for Brynn to say goodbye.

Meredith pulled her back into the cafeteria and ordered some ice cream. "Why are you doing homework with that guy?"

"He helps me," Brynn muttered. She had screwed things up back there. No doubt Jonathan was angry with her.

"Mmm. So what have you been up to? I haven't seen you in forever!" Meredith exclaimed. She led her to a table and they sat down. Meredith tossed her curls over her shoulder and smiled at Brynn as though nothing had happened between them.

Brynn was angry. Was Meredith just going to keep pretending that nothing had happened? She had been the one ignoring Brynn and now she was acting like they were best buds.

"I thought you didn't want to be seen with me?" Brynn muttered. She kept her eyes on the table. _Don't do this_, a voice in her head warned. _She wants to make everything better. You need her. _

Meredith pouted. "Oh, come on, Brynn—"

"No, Meredith," Brynn snapped. "You haven't talked to me in over a month. We're you afraid I'd bring down your status?"

She rolled her eyes and sighed. "I didn't know what to say."

"You could have asked if I was alright or if I needed something."

"What good would that have done?" Meredith snapped. "Everyone knew you weren't alright and no one wanted to get mixed up in the drama. It was better to leave you alone for the time being."

"Yeah, great idea," Brynn replied sarcastically.

Meredith narrowed her eyes. "I'm trying to make things _better_, Brynn. If you don't want my help, that's your own fault."

Brynn stood up and left. She had had enough of her crap. Brynn ignored Meredith as she called for her to come back.

Once she was outside, Brynn pulled out her phone. _One new message from Jonathan C., _her screen read. Brynn gulped as she flipped the phone open and clicked _Read. _

_Told you so, _it read.

Her heart sank to her feet. Jonathan was now convinced that she was embarrassed to be seen with him. She massaged her temples; how was she supposed to convince him that she wasn't? How did she prove to him that he was her friend? As she searched for an answer, someone bumped into her, causing her to jump.

Brynn turned to see who the person had been and her heart sank even more. Caitlin Marx glared at her. "What's wrong, Brynn? Did your parents finally decide to disown you?"

Brynn gritted her teeth. She wasn't in the mood to deal with Caitlin. "Fuck off, Marx."

She hurried away and blocked out whatever insult Caitlin threw at her. Up above, a flash of lightning illuminated the sky. It was followed by a roar of thunder. She shuddered; thunder storms always reminded her of that fateful night…the night that her mother snapped and killed her father. She remembered that it had been storming that horrid night.

Brynn stopped and stared up at the sky. Why had she been cursed like this? Why had she been given Olivia as a mother? It made everything complicated—she had to act a certain way, speak a certain way, think a certain way all so that people wouldn't think she would end up like her. People were scared of her. She knew some of her old friends had been wary of her. Why couldn't she have been the biological child of the Kiley's?

When she thought about it, all her problems went back to Olivia.

Lightning cracked and lit up the sky and the thunder became more violent. Brynn hurried back to her dorm.

**. . . **

She walked through the doors just as the clouds let loose and poured down gallons and gallons of water. Brynn hurried up the stairs to her room and poked her head inside. She sighed in relief when she saw that Sydney wasn't there. Ever since she had caught her hooking up with Brendan, Sydney found other places to sleep. She usually spent the night in some guy's room but she had been sleeping in her and Brynn's room lately. They never spoke but it was still horribly awkward. Her blanket and pillow were missing so Brynn assumed she had left to camp out elsewhere.

Brynn dropped her backpack on the floor and plopped down on her bed. What was she supposed to do? Jonathan wouldn't want to talk to her now. She had just killed her chances of befriending Meredith again. She didn't care. It wasn't like Meredith actually liked her or anything. Brynn rolled over and buried her face in her pillow.

Her phone began to chime. Brynn shot up and felt relieved. Maybe it was Jonathan, calling to forgive her? Her hopes were instantly killed when she realized it was just her dad calling. Brynn groaned and debated whether or not to answer. On the fourth ring, she gave in and mumbled a greeting.

"You sound thrilled," her father teased. "Everything alright?"

"Great," she lied.

He rambled on about random crap for a few minutes. Brynn didn't pay any attention. She was trying to think of ways to apologize to Jonathan.

"Are you listening to me?" her father asked suddenly.

"Hmm?"

George sighed. "I need you home on Saturday. We're having a company dinner party at The Yacht Club and we want you three there."

Brynn fought the urge to groan. Why was it so important that she come? All she did was stand around and eat the food laid out. "'Kay," she mumbled.

"How's that one friend of yours' doing?"

"Which one?"

"The one you brought home for dinner over Christmas break."

Brynn frowned. "Jonathan? What about him?"

"I was just curious. You don't talk about him anymore so I was just wondering if you two were on good terms still."

"We're…okay," Brynn answered. Or at least she hoped. Hopefully Jonathan would be over it by tomorrow.

"He's a good kid," George added.

"What, do you want me to marry the kid or something?" Brynn teased.

George chuckled. "I wasn't implying _that. _You're much too young for marriage. But you should bring him by sometime."

An idea struck her suddenly. She nearly fell off the bed. Brynn knew how to reconcile with Jonathan and prove that they were friends!

"Would I be able to bring Jonathan to the dinner party?" she asked hopefully. "Would that be okay?"

"It's fine with me."

"Cool, thanks," she happily replied. Now she just had to convince him to come. It shouldn't be that hard.

George hung up a few minutes later. Brynn was beginning to realize how ludicrous her idea was. Jonathan wouldn't want to go to her parents' dinner party. He hated social gatherings and would probably prefer to stay in and read his text books. Brynn dropped her head in her hands and groaned. How would she convince him?

It was the only way. He didn't believe that she thought of him as a friend and this would be the best way to prove it. She just had to convince him to come.

"Oh, this is going to be fun…" Brynn mumbled miserably.

**. . . **

Jonathan must have been pretty mad at her, Brynn realized the next day. After lunch, he usually waited on the sidewalk so that they could walk to class together. He was nowhere in sight and she ended up walking to class alone. He was in the classroom when she arrived. Brynn paused at the door and took in a deep breath. _Here we go_, she thought to herself.

"Hey, Jay," she said as she sat down beside him. He nodded in reply and kept his attention on his textbook.

Brynn frowned. She leaned closer to him and grabbed his textbook and slid it away from him. Jonathan glared at her, annoyance written across his face.

"I wanted to apologize," she said, "for yesterday. I know you don't believe me but I'm your friend."

"You have a weird way of showing it," he said in an even voice. His eyes were accusing and made her want to hide under the table.

Brynn swallowed and fought the urge to look away. "I was unprepared for Meredith to show up. She caught me by surprise and I didn't know what to say to her. I declined her offer to be friends again."

"Congratulations," Jonathan said, sarcasm dripping off of every syllable. He snatched his book back and ignored her.

"Jay," she pleaded. She leaned in so close that their shoulders almost touched. Jonathan visibly stiffened and watched her from the corner of his eye. "I don't care about any of them. I want you to be my friend. Please forgive me? I promise I won't do that again."

She held her breath as he sat silently, weighing in her words. He turned to look at her and studied her face. Brynn offered him a small smile.

"Fine," he said quietly, accepting her apology. "I forgive you."

She felt like squealing. Her smile grew even larger. "I wanted to ask you something."

His brow quirked up. "What might that be?"

"My parents are having a dinner party this weekend," she began, "and I wanted you to come."

His top lip twitched. "A dinner party?"

She nodded.

"I don't know…"

She playfully nudged his shoulder. "Aww, come on, Jay! It'll be fun. We won't have to talk to anyone; we can just hang out. Pretty please?"

He looked unsure. Jonathan tugged at his shirt collar. "Who would be at the dinner party?"

"Just people my dad works with. They won't pay any attention to us and will leave us alone."

Uncertainty splashed across his face and he licked his lips. After what seemed like eternity, he said, "I suppose I could come…"

Her face lit up brightly and she wanted to hug him. _Don't scare the kid away! _She composed herself and said, "Great, I'll pick you up at six thirty."

**. . . **

Jonathan was not happy about this dinner party he had to attend. Not in the slightest…

He had been stupid to agree to go with Brynn. Why had he forgiven her so easily? Why did he always allow her to convince him to do stupid things? He needed to get his priorities in check.

Jonathan had hoped to talk his way out of it before Saturday. He had planned on telling her that a dinner party sounded ridiculous and he had better things to do. But every time he brought it up she would remind him how excited she was. The warmth would take over and he found himself lying through his teeth, agreeing that he too was excited.

At six thirty on Saturday evening, Brynn had not arrived. He was beginning to believe that she had forgotten about inviting him and would go to the party alone. At first he was pleased. At six thirty-one, he felt stood up. When the clock struck six thirty-five, he was beginning to feel anxious. Had something happened? Should he go look for her? At six thirty-nine, he realized that she wasn't going to pick him up and felt genuinely disappointed. He hated to admit it but he had been a little bit excited to go to dinner with her. It was the first time they were hanging out somewhere other than the library or mess hall or their other usual hangouts. He kept reminding himself that it meant nothing; Brynn was asking him to go as a friend. Nothing more, nothing less.

The warmth in his stomach kept nagging at him that there was _something _more.

At six forty-one, three knocks rattled his door. He swung it open, a cross expression on his face, and glared at Brynn. She stared back, an amused smirk on her face.

"You're late," he growled.

"I couldn't decide what to wear," she said casually and shrugged.

He huffed and walked past her. Behind him, Brynn snickered. It took all his energy not to turn around, walk back in his room, and slam the door in her face.

She hummed as she followed him outside. It had been raining earlier and the clouds had finally parted to reveal sunshine. It smelled like rain and cut grass outside and he inhaled deeply, trying to calm himself. Brynn was taking him out of his comfort zone tonight and that made him irritable. He was bound to snap at her if she said one wrong word.

"Just to warn you, Cadence is driving us," Brynn warned as they walked around the building and went to Dixie-Wells' parking lot. Sure enough, Cadence was parked outside in a black sedan.

Jonathan shot her a look. "Can you two behave?"

Brynn winked at him. "No promises."

He rolled his eyes and opened the door and slid into the back seat. Cadence watched him from the rearview mirror. Neither offered any sort of greeting to each other.

The first few minutes of the drive were quiet. Brynn looked out the window and Cadence focused on driving. Jonathan could tell it was tense between them. He wondered if it was some sort of sister rivalry that made them behave this way. He had no idea; Jonathan had no siblings of his own so he wasn't sure how it worked between them.

Once they were in the city, Brynn began to fiddle with just about everything in the car. She rolled her window down, then rolled it back up; she flipped through the radio stations and fumbled with the air conditioning; she moved her seat back and forth, trying to find a position she liked.

"Brynn," Cadence warned as she turned down a street. "Cut it out."

"I'm not doing anything," Brynn defended. She turned around and smiled at Jonathan. She was obviously enjoying this. Cadence sighed and tightened her grip on the wheel. Even Jonathan was annoyed with Brynn's behavior.

It took twenty-five minutes to reach The Yacht Club. Cadence parked the car and hopped out wordlessly. Jonathan and Brynn followed. Gravel crunched under their feet and the smell of salt water wafted into his nose.

The Yacht Club was a long, two-story, white wood-paneled building with a reddish-brown roof. A wooden porch wrapped around the building and people sat on porch swings and rocking chairs. Jonathan followed Brynn inside and stood behind her as Cadence spoke with the hostess. His eyes wandered around the inside of the building. The ceiling was supported by thick, wooden beams and the walls were covered with photographs of men holding giant fish.

They were led through the restaurant, through a threshold and entered a large room in the back. About thirty men and women occupied the room, holding champagne flutes, and chatting with one another. Jonathan spotted Mr. Kiley in a corner of the room, surrounded by several men wearing khaki shorts and polo shirts. Mrs. Kiley was nowhere in sight.

At the back of the room, wide windows covered the wall and Jonathan could see a large deck and the tops of boats. He started walking in that direction when Brynn stopped him.

"Come on," she said and nodded towards her father. "He'll want to say hi."

Jonathan nodded and followed Brynn through the crowd, his eyes trained on the back of her head. His heart lightly thudded against his chest.

Mr. Kiley looked over at them as they made their way over. He smiled and excused himself from his guests. Mr. Kiley stuck his hand out and Jonathan shook it.

"Jonathan, good to see you. How are you?"

"I'm pretty good, thank you for asking," he politely answered. He could feel Brynn watching him. For good measures, he added, "Thank you for the invite."

Mr. Kiley nodded. "Any friend of Brynn's is a friend of mine. You two have fun. Dinner should be served soon."

He bid them farewell and turned back to the men he had previously been speaking to. Brynn smirked at Jonathan.

"What?" he asked.

"'Any friend of Brynn's is a friend of mine.' Oh my god, he loves you," she snickered.

"How do you know?" Jonathan questioned.

Brynn gave him a look that read 'Isn't is obvious?' "My dad hates all of my friends for the most part. You won him over."

Jonathan let the information sink in. How had he done that? He wasn't even trying to be likeable.

All of a sudden, Brynn grabbed his wrist. "Let's go outside."

"O-okay," he squeaked. He stared in confusion at her hand wrapped around his wrist. She led him across the room and outside.

The smell of salt water smacked him in the face. Jonathan's knees were weak all of a sudden and he had to convince his legs to keep moving. They felt as though they were filled with lead.

A bar had been set up outside and Brynn was pulling him to it. She ordered a strawberry daiquiri and Jonathan ordered an ice water. Once they had their drinks, she walked to the railing and looked out at the boats.

They stood quietly. Brynn chewed on her straw and Jonathan slowly sipped his water. He watched the waves lap against the side of the boats. The rocking boats hypnotized him and the outside world no longer matter.

He felt something poke him in the side. "Hmm?" He broke out of his daze and looked at her.

"I said we should take one of those boats," she repeated.

"That's considered stealing," he chastised.

Brynn rolled her eyes and turned so her back was facing the water. "It'd be relaxing. Just lying on a boat in the middle of the ocean without a care in the world. I'd like that."

"I'm sure you would," he said.

"Maybe I'll do that after college. I'll steal a boat and live at sea."

"Do you even know how to manage a boat?"

"No, but I'm sure it's not that hard."

"_Sure_," Jonathan sarcastically agreed. "What do you even want to do after college? And no, stealing a boat doesn't count."

Brynn stuck her tongue out at him. "I don't know. I think I'll become a photographer and take pictures for magazines. I could travel around a lot. And steal a boat."

"When the police begin to question who stole the boat, I'll be the first to rat you out," Jonathan teased. He was enjoying this. Carefree conversations with Brynn were easy. Unconsciously, he moved closer to her.

"You will do no such thing, Jonathan Crane," she warned with a serious look in her eyes. "Or I'll never speak to you again."

"Is that so?"

"You can bet your bottom dollar."

A small smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. He looked down and studied the melting ice cubes in his drink.

"And you want to be a big, fancy psychiatrist," Brynn said in a dramatic tone. "I can see it now: you'll have a big office with plush furniture and everyone will tell their friends, brothers, sisters, and cousins to see you. You'll have a line out the door."

"Really?" Jonathan asked in an amused tone.

She nodded excitedly. "Oh yeah. They'll open up to you, tell you their whole life story and you'll ask them—" she paused and cleared her throat before mimicking Jonathan—"_And how does that make you feel?_"

He snorted. "Will I be seeing you as a patient?"

She shook her head. "Nah. I'd probably bore you with all my problems."

"I don't know," he admitted. "You always have something entertaining to share."

"Okay, well when I'm released from prison for stealing the boat, I'll come see you," she joked. "You can teach me the ways of the good."

"Brynn, I doubt you'll ever learn the ways of the good," Jonathan exclaimed. "And who's to say I'm so good?"

She scoffed. "Jonathan, you're about as innocent as they come. You're a fruit cake."

"A fruit cake?!"

Brynn laughed so hard she knocked her drink over the edge of the balcony and it shattered onto the ground below. Her giggles turned to howls and she nearly fell over from laughing so hard. Even Jonathan got a good laugh out of it.

"There's something wrong with you," Jonathan laughed.

"Why is everything so funny?" she hiccupped. "I'm not even drunk!"

"I'd hope you wouldn't be."

They spun around and saw a stony faced Mrs. Kiley. Brynn looked down at the ground and her cheeks flared bright red.

"Hi, Mom," she said breathlessly. She pushed her hair out of her face and blinked back tears. "Great party."

Mrs. Kiley gave Brynn a warning look, causing her to shut up. She then turned to Jonathan. He held her gaze, unwavering.

"Hello, Jonathan," she said coolly.

Jonathan nodded. "Mrs. Kiley."

They stared at each other for a moment longer. Brynn sensed the tension and looked anywhere but them. Finally, it ended and Mrs. Kiley took a step back. "Dinner will be served shortly."

She walked back inside. Brynn had a smile on her face although she looked embarrassed. She looked over the edge at her shattered glass again.

Jonathan clucked. "She seemed thrilled to see me."

Brynn shrugged. "She has to entertain her guests. She would have stayed longer and talked had she not been hosting the party."

Jonathan highly doubted that. It was pretty obvious to him that Mrs. Kiley disliked him.

"You want to go get some dinner?" Brynn asked, breaking the brief silence. The look in her eyes asked him to forget about her mother's steely demeanor. Jonathan nodded and followed her inside.

They sat at their own little table far off from the rest of the party. Brynn wasn't in the least bit interested in making small talk with her parents' guests and Jonathan was glad for that. These people seemed like the type he would strongly dislike. He could practically smell the hubris in the air.

As he looked over the menu, Jonathan's eyes bulged out of his head. The prices were ridiculous. He cleared his throat uncomfortably and nudged Brynn. She looked at him over the top of her menu.

"I can't afford a single thing on this menu," he said quietly. His cheeks were red with embarrassment. He should have known that something like this would happen. Of course the Kileys would host a dinner party at one of the most expensive restaurants in town.

"My parents will pay for you," she said like it was no big deal.

"Brynn—"

"It's fine. They're paying for me so they'll pay for you."

He sighed. "I'll order something small." At the moment he said that, his stomach gurgled loudly.

"Jonathan—don't worry about it. Get whatever you want."

He gave up and looked over the menu. The waiter came, took their orders, and left. Jonathan took another sip of his water and looked around the restaurant. People ordered their meals and talked to those seated closest to them. Mrs. Kiley laughed at some joke Mr. Kiley made. Cadence was entertaining a group of older women and seemed relaxed. Jonathan's flitted back and forth between the four of them. Brynn was nothing like them—she preferred to be away from the crowd, something she hardly ever did. Was she shy around these people? Or did she simply not care about what they had to say?

"You're observing," Brynn interrupted his thoughts. She sipped daiquiri out of her new glass.

"You're really different from the rest of your family," Jonathan said, going straight to the point.

"How so?"

"For starters, you look _nothing _like the rest of your family. I don't see any resemblance between you and them. And you act nothing like them. You're not entertaining your guests and chatting their ears off like your sister."

Brynn sat quietly and Jonathan wondered if he had offended her. She sat up straighter in her seat and bunched her napkin up. "I don't know. I don't know what to say around those people."

"What do you mean?"

"I don't interest them. Whenever I try to talk to them, it's awkward and forced. They want to talk about college, politics, or polo—I'm not interested in any of that. If I try to talk to them about my interests, they usually zone out. That's why my parents bring Cadence to the parties. She's the perfect example of a socialite—she's smart, pretty, interesting. I'm none of those things."

"That's not true," Jonathan said quietly and nearly choked on his tongue. Had he just admitted to her that he thought she was pretty and smart and interesting? He waited for her to give him a funny look or leave.

She didn't catch it or she ignored it. "Please. They've labeled us, you know. Cadence is the Pretty Kiley, the Smart Kiley, the Kiley Who Is Going to Do Great Things. I'm the Other Kiley. My parents know that their friends label us as that but they choose to ignore it. They still push me to be like her. They want me to go to med school or law school. Unfortunately for them, I'd probably lose all my cases and accidentally kill all my patients."

Jonathan nodded. "Do they know you don't want to be those things?"

"They know I don't want to go into those fields. They also know that I want to have a job that's artistic and creative but they think it's a phase. My parents don't understand why I want to be a photographer and why I don't want a job that would make loads of money. But, come on, look around. These aren't the type of people I want to be surrounded by for the rest of my life. I'd probably hang myself."

"So what are you going to do?" Jonathan asked. He found himself interested with her case and was trying to think of ways to help her.

Brynn shrugged. "I guess I'll just end up doing whatever I'm good at. I'm going to get loads of crap, believe me. Then I'll probably be labeled as the 'Unfortunate Kiley With Mental Problems.' Because why on earth would someone give up this life for a job that isn't very stable and unreliable? That's the question they'll all be asking," she told him.

Their food arrived and the conversation was put on hold for a few minutes. Jonathan brought it up again as Brynn cut into her meal. "So you really don't care if you end up with a middle class life and job?"

"It doesn't bother me that much. Obsession over money is stupid. It controls our lives," Brynn mumbled.

"You're surprisingly humble for someone who's had such a luxurious life," he said.

Brynn looked up and studied him for a second. Her dark eyes looked conflicted. She looked back down and continued cutting her food. "Yeah, well it hasn't always been this way."

Before he could ask her what that meant, a woman approached their table and tapped Brynn on the shoulder. Instantly, Brynn's face lit up.

"Mind if I sit?" the older woman asked. Her light blonde hair was pulled back in a neat bun and she wore a simple, yellow sundress. She looked to be in her late forties or early fifties.

"Of course," Brynn exclaimed happily. "This is my friend, Jonathan Crane. We attend Gotham University together. Jonathan, this is Adele Worley. Her company's merging with my dad's."

They exchanged formal greetings. Adele turned to Brynn and patted her hand. "I haven't seen you in forever, darling. What have you been up to?"

Brynn rolled her eyes. "School has taken over my life. I get out for break in a few weeks."

"Perfect." Adele smiled. "We should meet up for lunch soon. You can tell me all about life. I miss talking to you."

"I have nothing exciting to share but I'd be thrilled to catch up with you." Brynn returned the smile. She then lowered her voice and asked, "Is my mother being nice?"

Adele groaned. She leaned back in her chair and gave Brynn a lazy smile. Jonathan wondered how long the two had known each other. They behaved like sisters or best friends.

"I can feel her eyes on my back as we speak," Adele whispered. She turned to Jonathan. "Mother Goose is not too fond of me."

"Join the club," Jonathan said dryly. It seemed like Mrs. Kiley wasn't too fond of _anyone. _

Brynn groaned suddenly. "Mother Goose is calling me over. I'll be back in a few."

Brynn stood and sulked over to her mother's table. Mrs. Kiley looked angry and spoke quietly to her youngest daughter. Next to him, Adele sighed.

"Madelynn is…difficult," Adele said carefully. "Don't be upset if you haven't won her over. Very few people can. Just be glad you're not on her hit list."

"Hit list?" Jonathan asked. He adjusted his glasses. "What'd you do? Smuggle Brynn some drugs?"

The woman chuckled. "If only it were that simple. We have history, unfortunately."

They looked over at the Kileys. Brynn had moved behind her father's chair and Cadence stood next to her. They were speaking to someone at their parents' table, it looked like. He studied the sisters carefully, looking for any form of resemblance. Cadence was tall and slim and held herself gracefully. She had a smile on her face and a gleam in her eyes as she listened to the man speak.

His gaze shifted to Brynn. She had her eyes trained on the man and a smirk on her face. She was short with a muscular frame. Jonathan had always considered her posture to be lazy but now that he thought about it, it was more carefree and relaxed. Something that the man said made her cock her head to the side and sink her teeth into her bottom lip. Triumph gleamed in her eyes. He must have complimented her.

He still could find no similarities between them.

"Are you two happy together?" Adele asked suddenly.

Jonathan's brows furrowed. "Pardon?"

"Are you two happy together?" she repeated. "You are together, aren't you?"

"What? Oh! No. Uh, no, we're not together," he said awkwardly. "We're just friends."

"Oh, sorry. I just assumed—"

"It's fine—" he cut her off. "Just friends."

"Well, she's a very good friend to have, let me tell you that. Brynn's a great girl," Adele said to him. She looked over at Brynn and her expression darkened. "For all the crap she's been through, she turned out well."

Jonathan looked at her curiously. "What do you mean?"

Adele's lips parted and she paused. Before she could explain what she meant, Brynn came back to the table and sat down. She smiled apologetically. "I had to talk to dad's partner."

Adele smiled. "I'll leave you two alone. Call me when you want to meet up, Brynn."

Brynn promised she would do just that and returned to her meal. Jonathan was still pondering over what Adele had said about Brynn turning out well. He was going to ask Brynn about it when he felt something on his leg vibrate.

Jonathan reached into his pocket and pulled his phone out. Immediately, his heart sank to the floor. It was Grandmother. Jonathan stood and excused himself.

He walked outside to the deck and took a deep breath. He opened the phone and answered, saying, "Yes, Grandmother?"

"I need you home immediately," she said, cutting straight to the chase.

Jonathan looked around. "What's the matter?"

"Do not question me, Jonathan. Come home _immediately!_" she exclaimed.

Jonathan nearly dropped the phone. His heart raced and he shakily replied, "Yes, Grandmother."

She hung up without further explanation. Jonathan looked out at the water which had grown rough. Waves splashed against the pier and rocked the boats. The sky had turned gray and looked as though it would start storming again.

Jonathan felt terrified. It had been years since his grandmother had ignited this kind of fear in him. He panicked; she knew something. Grandmother was always angry when she called but never _that _angry. Did she know he was with Brynn? That had to be it. Or maybe the police had figured out he put the snakes in Riley's car and were at his home right now?

Jonathan's palms grew damp and he fought the urge to tremble. He went back inside and tapped Brynn on the shoulder. She looked up at him questioningly.

"I have to leave," he said quietly. His Adam's apple bobbed and he looked around the room nervously. "Do you know where the nearest bus stop is?"

Brynn looked at him quizzically. Concern washed over her face and she placed her hand on his arm. "What's up, Jay? You look shaken."

He felt sick. Jonathan sat back down in his chair and stared at the wall for thirty seconds. Had he not been about to have a heart attack, he would have noticed her hand on his arm and been overcome by warmth. Right now, he felt as though ice water had been dumped over his head.

"Jonathan?" Brynn tried again. She suddenly took his hand and held it. "What's wrong?"

The gesture brought him back to reality. Jonathan cleared his throat and pulled his hand back. Brynn's cheeks flushed but she kept her eyes trained on him. He took a deep breath and said, "My grandmother just called and said I have to return home. Is there a bus stop nearby?"

Brynn studied his face for a moment. "Let me drive you home."

"Brynn—"

"_Jonathan_," she said, her tone dangerous. Her black eyes grew darker and held his lighter eyes without wavering. Her tone softened a little and she said, "Please."

"Okay," he practically whispered. Brynn stood up and motioned for him to follow her. She led him to her parents' table.

"Cadence, I need to borrow the car," Brynn told her sister in a don't-mess-with-me-right-now tone. Her older sister looked up questioningly, saw the look in her eyes, and dug through her purse.

"How am I supposed to get home?" Cadence asked begrudgingly.

"Dad will take you."

Mr. Kiley looked up. "What's that?"

"Jonathan has to get back to campus," Brynn lied.

"I don't feel well," Jonathan added, hoping he sounded as bad as he felt.

Mr. Kiley frowned. "I'm sorry to hear that. Was it something you ate?"

"I'm not sure."

"Get to feeling better, son. Did Brynn mention Conrad's graduation party? We'd love it if you came."

Jonathan's eyes darted to Brynn. She looked impatient.

"I hadn't mentioned it to him but I'm sure he'll come," Brynn said to her father. "We're going to leave now."

Mr. Kiley nodded and told him to take care. Mrs. Kiley offered him a forced smile and he nodded in return.

They left the room the dinner party was being held in and walked through the main part of the restaurant. Outside, thunder bellowed and dark clouds were moving in.

Brynn unlocked the car and Jonathan got in on the passenger side. He tried to calm himself down but it was no use. His nerves were on edge right now. Brynn pulled out of the parking lot, drove through the city, and headed for the highway.

They were silent for a long time. Brynn stole occasional glances at him. He stared straight ahead the whole time.

The only time they spoke was when she asked which way to turn. Soon they were driving towards his home. Jonathan told her to stop at the top of his street.

"Jay," Brynn said. She watched him carefully. "Call me if you need anything. Okay?"

He nodded. Jonathan slammed the door shut and started walking towards his house. His legs felt like Jell-O and he had a strong, wild desire to run back and catch Brynn's attention. He didn't want to go in there. He would rather jump into a volcano.

As he approached the house, he noticed an unfamiliar car parked out front. His brows crinkled. Who was here?

Jonathan reached his yard and stared at the house. _Turn, _his instincts told him. If only he could…

Jonathan forced himself to walk forward. _Show no fear. _

The front door was unlocked. Jonathan walked inside and looked around. "Grandmother?"

He walked into the living room. Grandmother was sitting in the armchair, staring straight ahead. Her lips formed a thin line. On the other side of the room, a petite, brunette woman stood with her back to him.

"What's going on?" Jonathan asked nervously.

His grandmother looked over at him and stared at him with such hatred he was surprised it didn't melt his skin off. The woman turned around and Jonathan's blood turned to ice.

"Hi, baby," she said sweetly.

Jonathan's breath hitched in his throat and he stared at her disbelievingly. No way…

"Mom," he said shakily.

**. . . **

**A/N: Chapter 29! Woo-hoo! Three more chapters until freshman year is over! AHH I'M SO EXCITED! I'm so excited to write the next three chapters. I hope you guys are as excited as I am!**

**Thank you ShaydesofDarkness, x, Megan S Lox, JediWho, Descia, MidnightFedora, Shannon, Bane-of-Gotham, AlainHotCoco1, FieryLady36, RivalsAreAllies, MorraHadon, Yusuke, dEnIsE tHe StRaNgE, Roxie13, and Guest for all the reviews! Thank you anyone who added the story to their alerts! You are all amazing and motivate me so much :)**

**So Jonathan's mom is back in town… Leave your thoughts on that and what you think might happen. **

**GUYS! WE'RE ALMOST AT 300 REVIEWS! *SCREAMS* You know what that means?! Sneak peek! Unless you guys want something else. A Twitter page where I update about progress and give hints away or a Tumblr page? Or a sneak peek haha. But please, please, please let me know what you want to see! It helps a lot when you tell me. I could do a fun little scene that wouldn't show up in the actual story but would still be fun! I don't know haha. Leave your thoughts in your reviews because I would like to know sooner than later. **

**Go see **_**Man of Steel RIGHT NOW! **_**Henry Cavill is beautiful and Amy Adams was amazing. I really liked how they took their time with the relationship. It may have seemed rushed to some people but I thought it was just right. But seriously, go see it!**

**If anyone has PM'ed me lately and I haven't replied, I'm really sorry! I've been exhausted lately and super busy and that's why I haven't been replying. I'm going to sit down either Thursday or Friday and answer all your questions. I'm really sorry for the delay!**

**So I finished **_**Sherlock, Hannibal**_**, and season 7 of **_**Supernatural**_** (they don't have 8 on Netflix yet). Can anyone recommend really good fics based on those shows? Pretty please? :)**

**That's about it, I think. PM me if you have any questions about anything! I can't wait to hear back from everyone! Review please! **


	30. Chapter 30

This wasn't real. It couldn't be real. How…?

But it was. She was standing right there in his living room, watching him. Smiling at him.

He hadn't seen his mother since he was eleven, the last time she had been busted for dealing drugs. He could vividly remember the officers cuffing his mother and leading her to a patrol car. Her boyfriend at the time had been the one to rat her out. Mom and the boyfriend had gotten into a fight or something and as payback, he called the cops on her. They didn't believe her when she claimed that he was a part of it. They searched his apartment and came up with no drugs. He must have moved them somewhere else.

Ever since that day, Mom had been locked up in jail. Jonathan never went to visit her. He didn't know what to say or what to think.

But here she was, standing in the living room. Jonathan studied her intensely. She had been a sick, gaunt woman with dark circles under her eyes. Now she looked healthy and clean. Her straight brown hair was clipped back and her blue eyes shined. Mom was wearing a floral dress, looking out of place in the dark room.

"What are you doing here?" he asked cautiously.

"What am I doin' here?" she laughed. "Baby, I came to see you!"

Jonathan felt numb. This visit was completely out of the blue. He hadn't mentally prepared himself for this. He wasn't ready for this.

Mom moved closer to him and put her hands on his cheeks. "You've grown up. How long's it been? Two, three years?"

"Six," Jonathan croaked.

"Six? Really? Well, I'll be darned. It felt shorter than that." She shrugged and gave him a wide smile. "Why don't you sit down? Let's catch up."

She led him to the couch and sat down with him. Jonathan was unable to protest and stared at the carpet, trying to figure out what was happening.

"I thought you were still in jail?"

She snorted and shook her head. "I got out a few months ago. They shipped me off to rehab but…" she trailed off. There was a mischievous gleam in her eyes. "It wasn't for me."

Jonathan's brows rose in confusion. "Are you better then? What do you mean it wasn't for you?"

Suddenly, it hit him. He understood why rehab 'hadn't been for her.' The mischievous gleam in her eyes and his grandmother's stony, exhausted look made sense to him. Jonathan scooted away from his mother and stared at her in shock.

"Did you break out?" he asked. _Please say no_…

Mom looked down at her clasped hands in her lap and shrugged. She broke out of rehab. _She broke out of rehab. _The room began to spin and Jonathan put his hands over his face.

"What were you _thinking_?" he demanded. He turned around and looked outside the window, expecting a cop car to be parked out front. The street was empty save for his mother's car and a stray cat. The sky had grown darker and the wind had picked up.

"Aww Jonathan, cut me some slack," she complained. "They had me all balled up in there and I _knew_ I was better."

"Mom…" Jonathan moaned miserably. He felt like a small, confused child. The police were going to find her eventually and take her back. She would be locked up for several more years.

"Oh, don't worry about it!" she exclaimed. Mom moved closer and put her hand on his shoulder. "I've got it all planned out. I'm leaving the city and heading for Metropolis. I'm going to start over."

"So you're just leaving again?" Jonathan asked angrily. He shrugged her hand off his shoulder and stared accusingly into her eyes. "Why did you even come back?"

Mom grew quiet and her eyes darted to her mother. Jonathan looked back and forth between them, trying to figure out what was going on. His mother looked back at him and gave him an apologetic smile.

"I know I haven't been the best mother these last years," she said regretfully. "But I really want to start over, baby. I just need your help."

"What kind of help…?"

She sighed and said, "I need money."

Jonathan's shoulders sunk and he looked at his balled up fists. _Of course _she needed money. "Why won't Grandmother give you some?"

"She doesn't have enough," Mom explained. "But you have your college account, don't you? It's not like you need it for anything—Gotham gave you a full ride."

"I'm saving that money for later," he growled. "What do you need the money for?"

"For startin' over, of course."

"Be more specific."

"Food, clothing, a place to stay—"

"No drugs?"

Mom smiled at him. "I told you I'm better, baby."

"Can you please stop calling me that?" Jonathan snapped. He got off the couch and began to pace. "Just because you're better doesn't mean you won't start up again. Now are you _sure _none of that money would be going towards drugs?"

She hesitated and looked at the floor for a brief second. However, Jonathan caught it. He scrutinized her and tried to figure out what she was thinking.

"There's something else, isn't there?" Jonathan asked. His mother looked away. "What is it?"

"Just give her the money and send her on her way, Jonathan," Grandmother said, speaking for the first time.

Jonathan ignored her and directed his attention to his mother. "What is it, Mom? What aren't you telling me?"

Mom fidgeted with the fabric of her dress. Her face darkened and she looked up at Jonathan. "I have to pay someone off."

"Who?"

"…One of my dealers…"

Jonathan's nostrils flared. "I thought rehab 'fixed you'?"

"It was one time, Jonathan," she defended. "I couldn't help it and I binged and—"

"You'll do it again," Jonathan snapped. "You always do it again."

His mother's mouth set in a thin line and kindness left her eyes. "I need the damn money."

"No."

_Give it to her! _Part of him begged. _She'll be in your life again if you just _give her the money!

_But she won't be better, _his conscience hissed. _She'll just screw you over like she always does. The police will be after her before you know it. They're probably on their way here now…_

He wanted to give her the money. He wanted everything to be okay and to have his mother back. She cared about him, right? She could reclaim her guardianship over him so he would never be forced to live with his grandmother again. They could live a normal life and Jonathan could help her get over her addiction. Wasn't that what he wanted?

But he knew she would never get over her addiction. He had lived with her seven out of his seventeen years and he _knew _how dependent she was. She had been arrested twice for her drug abuse and would always go back to drugs. Prison never taught her to clean up her act. It just made her want the drugs even more.

"I'm sorry, but no," Jonathan said quietly. "You'll have to find the money elsewhere."

His mother stared at him for several seconds, wordlessly. Her top lip twitched and her pupils dilated. Then she turned her attention to his grandmother.

"Make him give me the money," Mom growled.

Grandmother's face contorted angrily and she turned to Jonathan. "Give her the money, Jonathan."

Jonathan felt the urge to shrink back but he held his ground. "It will just make things worse."

"I _command _you to give her the money!" Grandmother snarled.

"Jonathan Algernon Crane, I _need _that money!" his mother begged.

"No," Jonathan whispered. He stared at the floor and felt a lump forming in his throat.

Grandmother turned to his mother. "This is all your fault!"

She looked taken aback. "_My fault_?"

"Had you not been such a whore as a teenager, you never would have gotten pregnant with him!" she screeched. "You wouldn't be so dependent on drugs. You could have been _happy_, Mary Beth! But _no! _You got pregnant with _him_!"

"You don't think I regret it every day?" his mother screamed at her. "That pregnancy _ruined my life, _Mother! Drugs just made everything better. It made it bearable."

Her words stabbed him in the stomach and he stared at her disbelievingly. He knew Grandmother hated him but he had never realized his own _mother _despised him so much. She stared at him with red-hot hatred in her eyes, proving his realization to be true.

"Well then," Mom said shakily. She got off the couch and smoothed her dress. "There's nothing left to be said here. I'm leaving."

She stomped to the door despite her mother's protests to come back. The door slammed shut and outside, a car engine revved. Jonathan and his grandmother sat in silence for several moments. Grandmother was the one to break the silence.

"You spawn of hell!" she screamed at him. She jumped off the couch and slapped him hard across the face, causing him to stumble back. "You see what you've done to this family?! Your birth was a _curse_!"

She stormed past him and up the stairs. Jonathan was frozen in place, shocked by the events that had just unraveled. His mind worked slowly and he was still processing what had happened. When realization hit him, it was like being run over by a bus.

Several emotions tore him apart from the inside out. Anger. Betrayal. Self-hate. Sorrow. His throat felt constricted and he broke out in a cold sweat. There was a thunderous ringing in his ears and he was convinced it would cause him to go deaf. His stomach knotted painfully and his head began to ache. Jonathan felt blood trickle down his chin and his lip beginning to swell up. He needed to get out of there.

Jonathan ran out of the house, slamming the door behind him. He ran down his street and then another street and another. His legs carried him past an abandoned dentist's office and the post office. Jonathan ran down the street and ended up at a deserted park. He collapsed onto a bench and tried to control his breathing. It came out in desperate gasps and Jonathan realized he was having a panic attack. He gripped the edge of the bench and trembled uncontrollably. Black dots marred his vision and his head pounded. After several moments, it passed and left Jonathan feeling raw, exposed and broken.

He surprised himself when he began to cry.

It had been years since he had last cried but he could no longer control himself and let loose. Tears streamed down his face and dripped off his chin. He covered his face with his hands to muffle out the moans and cries that escaped his mouth.

He was a mistake. No one loved him—not his mother, not his grandmother, absolutely no one. Jonathan had never felt so alone and miserable before. Should he just end everything so people would no longer be disgraced by his presence? Ending his life would bring him peace and end all the torment. He would be doing his mother a favor.

_My own mother doesn't love me_, he thought miserably. He leaned forward and tried to calm himself down. The moans and cries stopped though tears still leaked out of his eyes. They stung and his stomach ached. Jonathan wiped his face with the sleeve of his sweater and hiccupped. Now that he was finished crying, he felt numb.

Jonathan got off the park bench and wandered aimlessly for a while. A few people gave him funny looks but other than that, they left him alone. If anyone stared at him for longer than a second, he glared hatefully at them.

There was no way he was going back to the house. For once, he didn't care about his grandmother and her wrath. However, he had no place to sleep and had missed the bus that would take him back to the city. Jonathan stopped and leaned against the wall of a building. Where was he supposed to go? Who was he supposed to turn to?

As if on cue, his phone vibrated and he nearly jumped out of his shoes. Grandmother was calling, wasn't she? She would force Jonathan to come back home so she could slap him a few more times.

Jonathan reached into his pocket and flipped the phone open. He had a new text. Grandmother used a landline so who was texting him? Had his mother gotten a hold of his number?

He clicked _Read _and relaxed when he saw it was from Brynn.

_Is everything okay? You seemed upset at the party. Call me if you need anything. _

He read her message several times. Brynn seemed…genuinely concerned for him. Despite his numbness, a tiny flicker of warmth tickled his stomach but quickly vanished. It was enough for him.

He opened a new message and began to type.

_Is it too much to ask for you to come and pick me up? _

He closed his phone and waited for her to text back and say no or it was too late for her to drive out there. What was he doing? Brynn didn't actually care about him—

His phone went off again. Jonathan prepared himself for disappointment and read the screen.

_Where are you? I'll be there as soon as I can. _

**. . . **

Brynn nervously drummed her thumbs against the steering wheel as she drove off the highway and onto a street in the middle of nowhere. Tiny raindrops splattered against the windshield of her car and lightning lit up the sky in the distance. The needle on the gas gauge was close to E.

She turned down a street and slowed the car as she read the signs. Jonathan had told her to pick him up at a CVS store and said he would be waiting out front. She thought of how troubled he had been when they left The Yacht Club. Something obviously had happened. Jonathan wouldn't have asked Brynn to pick him up just for the hell of it.

Brynn gulped when she spotted him standing outside the drug store. He made eye contact with her when she parked the car and his face lacked any emotions. Brynn felt twitchy. Usually he looked impatient or agitated but he looked blank. _Oh god, _she thought as he opened the car door. _What's happened?_

Neither of them spoke for the first minute. Jonathan stared at the dashboard, his sweater clenched tightly between his fingers, turning his knuckles white. Brynn studied Jonathan carefully. His bottom lip was beginning to swell up and the collar of his shirt was spotted red. Jonathan's hair was damp with rain water and his skin was alabaster.

Brynn had no idea what to say or do. If she asked him what was wrong, he would most likely lash out at her or say nothing at all. Which was worse? Anger or silence? Brynn weighed the options in her mind.

"I need to stop at the gas station real fast," she said cautiously, avoiding the inevitable question.

Jonathan replied with a curt nod.

Brynn sighed and backed out of the parking lot. Down the street was a sketchy looking gas station. The fluorescent bulbs on the sign flickered and buzzed. Inside, she could make out a tattooed cashier with blue hair.

Brynn went inside, paid for her gas, and came back out to fill up her tank. She discreetly watched Jonathan as she filled the car. He made no movement whatsoever nor did he look back to watch her. It was like he had been replaced with a clone that lacked emotions. Jonathan didn't typically express how he was feeling but he always gave out tiny hints. Now it was as though he was physically present but mentally, he was elsewhere.

What was he feeling, anyway? Depressed? Angry? A mix of the two? Brynn wished she had the analyzing skills that Jonathan had so she could put the pieces of the puzzle together. She knew his grandmother had called him and demanded that he come home and that he was upset. Now she just had to figure out what had happened in between.

What was she supposed to do? She had never witnessed Jonathan like this. Did she give him space or try to comfort him? Brynn had a feeling the latter was not what he wanted at the moment. He had probably locked himself up inside his head and was figuring the problem out by himself.

But still, she had to do _something_. If she did nothing, Jonathan would probably think she could care less about him. But if she tried too hard, he would push her away. Brynn closed her eyes; why did her friend have to be so impossible?

The nozzle made a clicking noise and Brynn pulled out, moving as slowly as possible as she tried to figure out what to do. Obviously she had to do something but that something would have to be small. Now what did Jonathan like?

Brynn picked the few facts she knew about Jonathan from her mind. Psychology was his favorite thing in the world and he loved to read. However, no bookstores were popping up along the street and most of them would be closed by now. One of his favorite hobbies was criticizing the decisions she made in life. _Too bad he doesn't feel like talking_, Brynn thought to herself. She would take the crap he threw at her if it meant he would break out of his daze and say something.

She looked at the ground and tapped her foot. What else did she know about Jonathan Crane? He was seventeen, should have been valedictorian, and was the top in their class. He spent most of his time at the library and didn't have a roommate. He kept journals and wrote observations of his classmates. Jonathan was allergic to grass, hated Photography, had a sweet-tooth, dipped his fries in his milkshakes—

Oh! He had a sweet-tooth. Brynn hurried back inside and bought a pack of gummy bears and a bottle of iced tea. It was small and _hopefully _would make him feel a little bit better.

Brynn gave the snacks to Jonathan when she got back in the car. He stared at the food that had been placed in his lap emotionlessly. Brynn held her breath.

"Thanks," he mumbled. He popped the tab on the bottle, took a sip and put it in the cup holder. Then he nibbled on a few gummy bears.

Brynn had never felt more accomplished in her life. Had he not still been wearing his blank expression, she would have grinned like a fool.

Instead, she continued to stare at him and hold her breath. She found the courage to speak and said, "Do you want to go back to the university?"

Jonathan merely shrugged.

For half an hour, she drove around aimlessly. At first, it was as quiet as a graveyard and Brynn couldn't help stealing glances at him every other second. Then the silence became unbearable and she turned the radio on. It had no effect on Jonathan. He continued to stare straight ahead.

Brynn was growing frustrated. Why wouldn't he do anything? She turned the volume of the radio on higher and switched the channels. When Madonna's "Material Girls" came on, a song Jonathan would surely hate, she turned it up all the way. Jonathan didn't react in any way. He didn't glare, sigh, twitch, or anything.

She had a robot for a passenger.

Brynn turned around and switched course. They got back on the highway and drove towards the city. Clouds covered the stars and the earth was blanketed in blackness. She could hardly see as she drove down the highway.

Several signs popped up as Brynn drove down the highway. One for food. Another for a rest stop. A sign advertising a state park caught her attention. Brynn shifted over a few lanes and got off the exit, following signs that directed her to the park. Jonathan seemed as though he could care less.

The signs took her down a dirt road about ten minutes from the highway. She drove into a deserted parking lot and killed the engine. A pavilion stood to their left and to their right was the entrance to a forest. It was eerily quiet.

Brynn got out of the car, taking the gummy bears with her. She walked to the front of the car and leaned against the hood. It had grown chilly and she wished she had brought a jacket. Jonathan remained inside the car. She hoped this would work.

After popping a few gummies into her mouth, she heard the car door open and close. Gravel crunched under Jonathan's feet and he leaned on the hood next to her. He kept his hands in his pockets with his eyes trained forward.

"Are you going to tell me what we're doing out here?" he asked, catching her off guard. Brynn had assumed she would be the first to speak but was glad Jonathan was breaking out of his trance.

"It's quiet out here," she replied casually. "I thought you'd want time to think and I thought the city would be too distracting."

His mouth was a thin line and his lips had turned white. Jonathan looked at the ground and rolled the gravel around with his shoe.

Brynn hopped onto the hood of the car, bringing her knees to her chest. Up above, the clouds had begun to part. The stars stood out against the black sky creating a breathtaking sight. Brynn wished she had her camera.

"What happened?" she inquired. She noticed how his shoulders tensed up at her question. Brynn bit her tongue as she waited.

Jonathan sighed and sat next to Brynn on the hood. He removed his glasses, slipped them into his pocket, and licked his lips. A cloud seemed to drape over him and Brynn feared he had retreated back to his robotic state.

After what seemed like an eternity, Jonathan broke the silence. "My mother came home."

Brynn's jaw nearly dropped. She thought his mother was in jail? She composed herself and tried not to look so shocked. "Isn't that a good thing?"

"It should have been," Jonathan quietly answered. "But…things went downhill."

"How so?" Brynn pressed. She knew she shouldn't be nosey but she desperately wanted to know what had upset him so much and made him behave how he had in the car.

Jonathan took a shaky breath and paused, looking around the landscape as though he expected someone to pop out. Brynn leaned forward and touched his elbow, reassuring him that they were alone and encouraging him to continue. He promptly shrugged her off.

"My mother…has had a rough time," he explained slowly. "She's addicted to heroin and has been for as long as I can remember. Anyway, she showed up tonight and begged me for money. Turns out rehab didn't fix her and she's still addicted. She needed the money to pay off one of her dealers. I refused to pay her."

"What happened?"

Jonathan clouded over again. He brought his hand to his mouth and chewed on his thumbnail for a moment. When he spoke, his voice was flat and emotionless. "She had a fit. She told me I was a mistake and that it was my fault she was addicted to drugs."

An icy feeling settled over her. His own mother had said that to him? Brynn shook her head. "You're not a mistake, Jonathan."

"Except I am," he said matter-of-factly. "I was born out of wedlock. My father abandoned my mother and she was only seventeen when she gave birth to me. I am unwanted."

He said it as if he was reciting facts. It broke Brynn's heart. Obviously Jonathan had known for a while that his birth hadn't been planned and had convinced himself he was worthless. She wondered how often he thought that.

"My mother was depressed after giving birth to me," he went on. "Then she turned to drugs. She's been arrested twice. The first time, she left the stove on in our apartment and started a fire. She was high when that happened; they arrested her and child services sent me to live with my grandmother. The second time, my mom was ratted out for dealing and they arrested her."

He reached back and took a gummy bear out of the bag. Jonathan twisted it around and pulled its head off. "I've never met my father. He's never tried contacting my mother or myself. I hardly know my mother and even when I was living with her, she made no attempt to get to know me."

A tiny lump had formed in Brynn's throat while listening to his story. "What about your grandmother?"

He let out a humorless bark of a laugh. "Oh, she despises me. According to her, my mother's downward spiral was my fault. I suppose she's correct."

"That's not true, Jonathan," Brynn murmured. "It's not your fault."

He looked back at her with sad, tired eyes. She saw the bruise forming around his mouth and the dried blood from his busted lip. His voice was rough and broken. "I wish I could believe that but I'm constantly reminded that I was a mistake. You don't know what it's like, Brynn. You've lived such a sheltered life with a functioning family. You can't say it's not my fault when you don't know the situation."

She looked down at her hands and realized they were clenched into fists. She wished she could tell him that she knew _exactly _what it was like to be a mistake. He wasn't the only one with mommy issues. Brynn knew just as much as he did on that subject.

For a second, she considered telling him everything. It would be a relief to have it off her chest. But what would he say? And if she told him then, would he think she was lying and just trying to make him feel bad for her? That's not what she wanted—she genuinely understood what he was feeling.

She decided it was best to withhold the information from him.

Jonathan leaned forward and covered his face with his hands. He seemed ashamed and that angered Brynn. Jonathan Crane was not the type of person who let others bring him down. Seeing him like this made her want to track down his mother and grandmother and slap them silly for treating such an amazing person so poorly.

"I don't think you're a mistake," Brynn said in a quiet, serious tone. "If you were a mistake, you'd act like one and believe me, you don't. You're incredibly intelligent and brave. I don't know anyone else who is as brave as you are, Jay."

"I'm not—"

"Shh!" she snapped. "I don't want to hear it. I know what mistakes are likes—they sulk around, constantly feeling sorry for themselves, and not doing anything with their lives. They have no passion, no drive. Living means nothing to them. You're nothing like that, Jonathan. You're the most motivated person I know. I mean, look at you! You know more about Psychology than Mapps for crying out loud! See, that's _passion. _You're passionate about Psychology and it's your outlet."

She wasn't sure if he was listening or not. Brynn scooted closer to him and put her arm around his waist. She was being extra touchy tonight, she realized.

He stiffened when she touched him and tried to squirm away but she held tight. Jonathan gave her a wary look.

"Just because they see you that way doesn't mean everyone else does. I especially don't. It would take you a hell of a long time to try to convince me that you are and you most likely would never succeed," Brynn said. She smirked at him. "What do you always tell me? Eyes up. Shoulders back. Sit up straight."

He stared at her for several seconds and Brynn feared that she hadn't gotten through to him. Something flashed across his eyes and that arrogant look returned to his face. He straightened up and cocked his head to the side, sizing her up. Brynn smirked.

"Atta boy," she congratulated.

Jonathan snorted in reply. He reached into the bag of gummy bears and popped one into his mouth. "That was quite the speech."

Brynn shrugged. "What can I say? I'm just a natural at making people feel better."

Jonathan smirked and shook his head. He scooted away and Brynn awkwardly pulled her arm back. They sat silently for a long time, admiring the stars. Brynn yawned and lied back against the windshield of the car. She examined Jonathan from behind. He was sitting up straight, observing the moon. He would be okay. It might take a lot of coaxing but he would eventually be alright.

"You're not that bad," Jonathan abruptly said and looked over his shoulder at her.

Brynn cocked a brow. "What do you mean?"

"I hated you at the beginning of the year, you know. I thought you were some stuck up, drunken heiress," he confessed and paused for several seconds. "You proved me wrong. Not many people do that."

"Admit it: you've liked me from the beginning," Brynn boldly stated. "You thought I would be a fun person to observe. Am I not?"

He examined her carefully. Suddenly, a corner of his mouth turned up in a smile. Brynn had her answer. She had won him over.

**. . . **

They arrived back to the university about an hour later. Exhaustion weighed down on Jonathan and he trudged up the stairs with Brynn on his heels. She had insisted on walking him to his room.

Jonathan searched through his pockets for the key and unlocked the door. His hand grabbed the knob and he paused. Then he turned around and faced her.

"Thank you," Jonathan said to her.

Brynn shrugged. "I'm glad I could help."

He nodded and looked down at his feet. There was a feint trace of warmth in his stomach. It was overruling the uncomfortable coolness that had settled in his stomach earlier in the night. "I'll see you later?"

She nodded in agreement and looked over her shoulder. Dark circles were under her eyes. The clock at the other end of the hallway claimed it was past one.

"Until next time?" She smiled.

Jonathan snorted. "Until next time."

She pivoted on her heel and walked in the other direction. Jonathan watched her and was left feeling disappointed that their night was coming to an end. He turned back to his door and opened it.

Just as he was about to walk in, Brynn called back to him.

"Jay?"

Jonathan turned around and stared quizzically at her. Her eyes darted between the exit and him and there was an almost desperate tone to her voice.

"What is it?"

She bit her lip and walked back to him, briefly pausing when she reached him. Suddenly, Brynn took another step and wrapped her arms around his stomach.

Jonathan drew a blank. His first instinct was to push her away from him and slam the door in her face. Why was she _hugging _him? Had the gummy bears been laced with something?

The warmth must have taken over because he shocked himself when he tentatively wrapped his arms around her shoulders. It was the first time he had ever hugged someone.

Brynn noticeably relaxed and sank into him. Her chin rested on his shoulder and her breath tickled his ear. She was soft and warm and it felt nice having her in his arms.

Jonathan was leaving his comfort zone. His arms tightened around her and he too relaxed. There was something inviting about her and he felt welcomed for the first time in his life. His heart hammered so loudly he was positive she could hear it. He was also positive that the warmth in his stomach would burn her. It had never been this warm and he wanted to melt into a puddle on the floor.

Before she pulled away, Brynn whispered, "I still don't think you're a mistake nor will I ever."

She stepped back, blushed, and walked down the hall and out the door. Jonathan's knees grew weak and he had to lean against the door frame for support. A million thoughts buzzed through his mind.

Brynn Kiley hugged him. He had hugged Brynn Kiley. The warmth in his stomach had spread like a wildfire and was burning him alive; but at the same time, it had heightened his senses. He still remembered the way she felt against him, how tightly her arms had been wrapped around his body, and how her warm breath brushed against the skin of his neck.

He began to wonder what would have happened had she not let go. Would she have tightened her embrace? Would he have stroked her hair? What if she pulled back slightly and looked at him? What would he do? What did her mouth feel like?

Jonathan paused. That last question—what was that all about? Why did he care what her mouth felt like?

The question had been asked and he wanted an answer. Did she have a soft mouth or were her lips slightly chapped? Did she press her lips lightly against other lips or forcefully? What would her lips feel like against his?

Jonathan stared at the wall, frightened by all these questions flying around. His head hurt and his tongue felt dry.

_I want to kiss her, _he realized. _I want to kiss Brynn Kiley. _

As soon as he thought those words, he knew he was in trouble.

**. . . **

**A/N: An update, an update, yay for updates! I have two chapters left to write plus a sneak peek. Just a reminder that I'm taking two weeks off after the last update to work on the story outline. Then I'll be back!**

**Thank you to all my lovely reviewers: ShaydesofDarkness, Megan S Lox, MidnightFedora, RivalsAreAllies, JediWho, Solstice White, FieryLady36, dEnIsE tHe StRaNgE, kaflute14, AlainHotCoco1, and Guest! Thank you anyone who added the story to their alerts. You guys deserve pandas and cake :)**

**Alright, let's talk about the chapter. I have a feeling half of you want to form an angry mob and chase me for what I did to Jonathan. When I was reading your reviews, I felt so guilty. A lot of you were pretty optimistic about Mama Crane. But she's a heartbreaking bitch. I would like to hang her by her toenails for what she said to Little Jay. Believe me, I'm having evil thoughts right now. She will make another appearance in the story but not until Jonathan's a grown up. Until then, we can plan something nasty for her… *evil laugh***

**So…Jonathan wants to kiss Brynnigans. Leave your thoughts… ;)**

**Time to talk about the sneak peek! I'll give you guys two options again and make a poll. Both will take place during **_**Batman Begins **_**and will most likely make an appearance in the story (but things could change). Option number one: Jonathan can witness Brynn's new "bad reputation" taking place. If you guys remember from the previous sneak peek, it was mentioned that Brynn was a bit…wild. Option number two: Jonathan and Brynn on a date as a couple but in a rough patch…Madelynn and George might make an appearance and they would be talking about the mysterious "Batman." I think I'll add the sneak peek as a second chapter to the first one I already have posted. I don't know when it will be up though. In the next update, I'll tell you which one is the winner. **

**That's about it, I think. I'll update again this week. Review please!**


	31. Chapter 31

Neither Brynn nor Jonathan brought up the topic of his mother returning home. When he thought about it, he grew bitter and felt hurt. Her confession had been brutal and was still painful to think about. Jonathan did his best to keep it from entering his mind. He crammed things into his head, burying that night into the deep recesses of his mind.

He had another problem to focus on: liking Brynn.

This…whatever it was…confused him. Jonathan enjoyed having Brynn's company; he was learning that she was a good friend to have and very entertaining to be around. Brynn was constantly goofing off around him. Usually, it annoyed him and he would criticize her for acting like a child. On rare occasions, he surprised himself by smiling at whatever she said or did. All things considered, he liked spending time with her.

His problem was that he enjoyed it too much. Jonathan found himself wanting to be around her more and more and grew agitated when he went long periods of time without seeing her. He craved her attention; it made his day when she smiled at him or laughed at something she said.

The smallest, most unexpected things she did had him wrapped around her finger. Strangely, these things used to annoy him. He was also beginning to notice small details about her: a spattering of freckles covered the bridge of her nose as well as her cheeks; she never showed her bottom row of teeth when she smiled; and she repeatedly snapped her fingers whenever she was trying to recall something.

He felt creepy for knowing all these things but he couldn't help it. Everything she did was saved in a file in his brain. The file was filling up as he learned more and more about her.

_There's something wrong with me_, Jonathan would think as he remembered another fact about her. _I need to get over this. _

He knew it was foolish to like Brynn. She was practically a woman and technically, he was still a boy. When he looked in the mirror, he was reminded that his chances with Brynn were one in a hundred billion. He was gangly, nerdy, and quiet. Brynn was the complete opposite: she was pretty and outgoing. If he ever confessed to liking Brynn, she would probably laugh in his face.

At times, he thought he had gotten over his crush on her and could go back to normal. Something she said would annoy him greatly and he wondered why he was friends with her; but then, she reassured him of his liking for her when she would smirk at him or say something unexpected. The warmth would return to his stomach, Jonathan would blush, and scold himself for being so stupid and attracted to her.

_I just want to be her friend, _he'd silently growl at the warmth. In response, it would intensify and tickle his stomach.

_Not happening, _it would respond evilly. Jonathan was left feeling grumpy and uncomfortable.

Brynn was either oblivious to the crush or ignored it because she was constantly dragging him around like it was no big deal. She was convinced they were best buds. That afternoon, she talked him into walking around the campus with her. Exams began the following week and Brynn was trying to remain as calm as possible. Jonathan still remembered her little breakdown from the previous semester and how he had helped her the morning of their Psychology exam. In a way, that had been the beginning for them.

"You're hanging out with me this summer," Brynn announced as they walked down the sidewalk. She wore a grin on her face and her eyes twinkled.

Jonathan raised his brows. "Am I?"

She nodded. "You are, whether you like it or not."

"I'm being forced against my will, then?"

Brynn shrugged. "You know you want to hang out with me."

He didn't answer. Warmth enveloped him and tickled his neck, back, and legs.

He found his voice again and kept his eyes trained ahead. "I haven't spent a summer with anyone before. What do you typically do?"

Brynn hopped onto the low wall on the side of the sidewalk. She stretched her arms out to her sides and teetered across the surface. Jonathan's eyes wandered over her muscular legs, watching the muscles flex and relax. His eyes began to wander upwards, resting on her—

_Stop it! _His logic shrieked. Jonathan blushed madly and looked at the ground.

"You wouldn't approve of anything I do over the summer," Brynn said in a teasing tone. She looked back at him and smirked. "It usually consists of hard partying."

"You can count me out."

Brynn hopped off the wall and walked next to him. "We could see a movie?"

"I hate watching movies."

"What the hell is wrong with you? Fine: we can go up to my lake house and hang out there."

"I don't think your parents would approve of me spending the night at your lake house—"

Brynn cocked a brow and stopped. Her black eyes glittered mischievously. "Jonathan, who said anything about a sleepover?"

All the blood in his body rushed to his face. Jonathan froze and stumbled over his words. "I—I mean—"

She _tsk_ed and leisurely started walking again. "You dirty dog."

Jonathan remained frozen in place. He had never felt so mortified; how had that slipped out of his mouth? Why wasn't Brynn angry?

"Are you coming or what?" she hollered as she walked away.

He forced his legs to move and caught up with her, trying to forget about that awkward moment. Instead, he thought about hanging out with Brynn. It was weird to have someone invite him to hang out. No one had ever done that before. Jonathan was positive he would say something stupid and Brynn would never want to hang out with him again. This was a bad idea—he should decline and come up with a reason not to hang out with her.

"I don't think my grandmother will let me leave the house this summer," Jonathan said. It was the truth—Grandmother wasn't going to let him out of her sight. She was probably at home, writing down all the chores he would have to do.

"I'll sneak you out," Brynn replied. "It's not like you haven't lied to her before."

"It's easier during the school year—"

"Then tell her you got a job or you're volunteering somewhere. I don't care, just find a way to get out."

Jonathan sighed. She wasn't going to let this go. "My Grandmother will catch on—"

"If you don't want to hang out, just say so," Brynn muttered. She sounded hurt and annoyed and Jonathan wanted to kick himself in the face. He was the reason she sounded so upset.

"I do want to hang out this summer," Jonathan said slowly. "I just…I don't know, I've never hung out with anyone before so I would probably be boring to spend time with."

"If I thought you were boring, I wouldn't be asking you to hang out," Brynn replied in an irritated voice. "But I don't. I like hanging out with you. Believe it or not, you're kind of funny. You have a dry sense of humor."

Jonathan frowned. He was anything but funny.

After a moment of silence, Brynn said, "That was a compliment. You should say 'thank you.'"

"My manners are a little rusty," he replied sarcastically.

Brynn smiled at him and nudged his shoulder. "See? You're funny. We'll have fun this summer."

She sounded so convinced that they would. Jonathan bit his tongue; he could only hope that he wouldn't do anything stupid.

They turned a corner and Brynn slowed down a bit. She grabbed Jonathan by the elbow and pulled him back. Jonathan stared at her questioningly.

"Don't look at the girl on the bench," Brynn murmured. She kept her eyes on the ground and her hand on Jonathan's elbow.

"Why?" he whispered back.

Brynn's eyes darted up briefly. "Caitlin Marx."

Jonathan looked down the sidewalk and saw two girls sitting on a bench. One had greasy, ink-black hair and a pierced nose; the other had frizzy, bleach blonde hair and was staring menacingly at Brynn.

Ah, the infamous Caitlin Marx (according to Brynn). Almost every day, Brynn complained about her to Jonathan. _Caitlin Marx is a slut! _Or _Caitlin Marx is white trash. _Most of the time, it annoyed Jonathan; Brynn was acting like any other girl on campus, always finding someone to criticize. He had tried defending Caitlin once, saying it was rude to trash talk other girls. Brynn went on a ten minute rant about how 'Caitlin Marx is the biggest bitch you will ever meet!' After that, he hadn't bothered standing up for her whenever Brynn brought her up.

Now that he was seeing her for the first time, he understood why Brynn thought she was so trashy. Her breasts were dangerously close to falling out of her tight cami and her face was covered with makeup. She almost looked like a clown.

They walked past the bench the girls sat on. Brynn pretended to be interested with something on the other side of the sidewalk and Jonathan stared straight ahead. He was expecting the two girls to whisper or snicker or something. He wasn't prepared when Caitlin spoke to them.

"Hey, skank," she said in a nasally voice. Brynn's grip on his elbow tightened and her lips pursed.

"Ignore her," Jonathan instructed. He looked over his shoulder at Caitlin and shot her a warning glare.

This only prompted her. "Bitch, I'm talking to you."

Brynn kept walking. Her nails were digging into Jonathan's skin and he wished he had worn a jacket or something.

"Where you going, Orphan?"

_Orphan? _Jonathan thought in confusion.

Brynn halted and turned around. She stared at Caitlin with such hatred that Jonathan was shocked that her skin didn't melt off. The look in her eyes promised there would be trouble. Jonathan gingerly tugged on her arm, hoping she would ignore the comment and come with him. Brynn promptly swatted him away.

The two girls sized each other up for several seconds and the air grew tense around them. Caitlin wore a smirk on her face; Brynn's eyes were dark and her face was blank. Finally, Brynn broke the silence and took a step forward, cocking her head to the side.

"How's your mom, Caitlin?" Brynn asked in a casual voice. "I heard she got another restraining order."

Anger flashed across Caitlin's face. Her top lip curled up and she sneered hatefully at Brynn.

Brynn wasn't finished. She slowly advanced on the girl with her arms crossed over her chest. She stood up straight and had a smirk on her face. It wasn't the kind of smirk she wore around Jonathan; it was the smirk of one who had intentions of bringing another down.

"Does she know what a slut you are? She'd have a heart attack if she knew you were giving half the guys on campus herpes."

Brynn's smirk transformed into a mocking smile. Her voice was level and her black eyes grew even darker. She quirked her brows, daring Caitlin to retaliate.

Jonathan had never seen her like this and he didn't like it one bit. She seemed so relaxed and carefree despite the fact that she was trash talking this girl. Brynn made it look easy and reminded him of the girls at Gotham High. They used to corner each other and point out all the flaws of the other girls. Jonathan's hands clenched into fists. On numerous occasions, they had cornered him and tried to bring him down. They had the same dagger-like stares Brynn had going on right then.

At that moment, Jonathan was convinced that Brynn was a total…_bitch. _

Caitlin stood up and stared at Brynn. She had her hands on her hips and her eyes narrowed. Then she looked at Jonathan and a grin grew on her face.

"Is this your boyfriend?" Caitlin asked excitedly. Jonathan blushed bright red and Brynn frowned when Caitlin began to laugh. "You really are desperate, Kiley. Fucking a twelve year old!"

Jonathan's face grew redder from embarrassment and anger. The fact that she was implying that he had sexual relations with Brynn was absurd and childish. And he didn't look twelve! Just the other day, Jonathan found a few hairs beginning to grow on his chin.

She stopped laughing and looked into Brynn's eyes. Her face was serious and she said, "You're a slut. Just like your mom."

Brynn's skin drained of color and she took a step back. Her eyes grew wide and her lips slightly parted. Jonathan took a step forward, intending to drag Brynn away from this. He knew how these catfights worked. Their claws would be out soon as they threw insult after insult at each other.

He stopped when Caitlin looked at him. "You look confused. Did you not know her mom's a whore?"

Jonathan frowned. He knew it was none of his business but Mrs. Kiley didn't seem like the type to be unfaithful or anything. Then again, he didn't know her that well.

Caitlin gasped and looked back at Brynn. "He doesn't know, does he?"

"Shut up," Brynn growled.

Caitlin looked pleased and turned back to Jonathan. "She didn't tell you about her other mommy, did she?"

_What other mom? _Jonathan wanted to ask. Instead, he kept his mouth shut and his eyes trained on Brynn. _Let's get out of here. _

"Orphan doesn't like to talk about it," Caitlin explained. "But Mommy Kiley isn't Brynn's real mommy."

"Caitlin, _shut up_," Brynn warned.

"You see, Brynn has another mommy," she went on. She kept her eyes trained on Brynn as she spoke. "Except this mommy was crazy. And a whore. Just like Brynn!"

Jonathan tried to pull Brynn away. He grabbed her wrist but when he pulled, she remained where she was. Brynn's mouth formed a straight, thin line and her hands were balled up. She appeared to be shocked.

"Brynn's mommy had a tendency to…you know…" Caitlin paused and winked at him. "Sleep around. But if the men she slept with didn't give her what she wanted—" Caitlin dragged her finger across her throat—"she gutted them like fish. That's what happened to your dad, right?"

It happened faster than lightning. Brynn slapped Caitlin across the face causing the other girl to stumble back. The black haired girl, who had been sitting on the bench the entire time, jumped up and hit Brynn so hard she spun around. She then turned and went to aid Caitlin, who was on the ground crying.

At this point, Jonathan's brain had caught up with everything that was happening. Just as Brynn lunged to hit the black haired girl, he intervened. He grabbed her by the waist and struggled to hold her back. Brynn wiggled around in his grip and tried to kick him. She missed and Jonathan threw her back, causing her to stumble. She caught her balance and stared at him.

It was quite the scene. Brynn stood, shocked, with a bleeding lip and wild hair. Caitlin was on the ground with a bloody nose, crying. She looked up at Brynn and yelled, "You're a psycho like your mom, you crazy bitch!"

Brynn spun on her heel and hurried in the other direction. Jonathan chased after her, still trying to catch his breath and make sense of everything that had just happened.

"Brynn," he called. "Brynn!"

She ignored him and disappeared behind a building. Jonathan stopped, panting, and put his hands on his hips. His mind was frazzled.

What on earth had just happened?

**. . . **

Sydney was in the room when Brynn returned. With one look at her bleeding lip and deranged expression, Sydney was out the door.

Brynn trudged inside and went to the bathroom. She put a wash cloth under the faucet and cleaned up her face. The cold water felt good on her skin and numbed the pain a little. She kept it pressed to her lip as she walked back into the bedroom and began to cry.

She was done for. Hitting Caitlin had been a huge mistake: now the girl would tell her secret to the entire university. People would stare at her in the halls and whisper to their friends. She was a wild animal and completely untamed. It would only be a matter of time before she snapped and ended up like her mom.

What was worst of all was that Jonathan had been present for the entire fiasco. He heard everything Caitlin said. He had seen Brynn snap and hit the girl. Jonathan would have questions; there was no way he would leave this alone. When he knew the truth, he would be disgusted with her and leave. Who wanted to be the friend of a serial killer's child?

This made her cry harder. She didn't want to lose Jay—not after all this. He had stayed with her when everyone else turned against her and had become her friend. Brynn genuinely liked and cared for the younger boy. But there was _no way _he would want to be her friend now. He probably thought she was a psychopath.

She sat in her room for several hours. Brynn considered calling Conrad a few times but decided against it; he would be busy prepping for exams and wouldn't have time for his sister's problems. Therefore, she sat in silence and stared at the wall.

Outside, it grew darker and soon she was enveloped in darkness. Brynn felt numb; how had a seemingly good day gone to shit so fast? She shouldn't have lashed out at Caitlin. Had she listened to Jonathan and ignored her, none of this would have happened. Jonathan would still be her friend and he wouldn't know her darkest secret. Why had she been so stupid?

_Jonathan was destined to find out, _a tiny voice in her head whispered. _It was only a matter of time. _

The voice in her head wasn't hers but sounded vaguely familiar. As she thought some more about it, Brynn's hands clenched up and anger bubbled inside her. _Get out of my head, Olivia, _she hissed.

Olivia chuckled. _You're stuck with me forever. _

Brynn moaned and pressed her face to her knees. Caitlin was right; she was going crazy. She was turning into her mom.

Around ten, a timid knock on the door disturbed her from her daze. Brynn crawled to the door, pulled herself up, and smoothed her hair down. Sydney had probably forgotten something.

Brynn opened the door and was blinded by the light in the hallway. When her vision adjusted, her heart stopped. Jonathan stood in the hallway with his hands in his pockets. His face was blank but his eyes were cautious.

Brynn panicked and tried to close the door on him. He pressed his palm to the door and stopped her.

"Brynn—"

"Go away," she groaned.

She heard him sigh. "I want to talk to you."

She kept herself pressed to the door, not wanting him to enter. He was here because he was going to end it. Why else would he have come? Brynn squeezed her eyes shut; she might as well let him get it over with. Brynn stepped away from the door and allowed him to enter. She kept her eyes on the wall behind him.

They stood silently for several minutes. Brynn grew anxious. Why was he taking so long? Was he trying to torment her? Brynn shifted her weight from foot to foot and waited for the blow to be delivered.

It was too much to handle. Brynn walked away and sat on her bed. She stared at her chipped nail polish. What was he waiting for?

"Was everything she said," Jonathan finally broke the silence, "true?"

"Why else would I have hit her?" Brynn mumbled numbly.

Jonathan didn't reply. Instead, he remained by the door and stared at her. Several minutes of silence passed before he moved. Jonathan walked over to Sydney's desk and turned the lamp on. He sat down in her desk chair and stared at Brynn.

"Have you put two and two together yet?" Brynn looked up at him and finally met his gaze. "Have you figured out who my mom is?"

"I think so."

Brynn looked down at the floor and laced her fingers together. "The Kileys adopted me when I was eleven. It was a quiet adoption. My name was changed so the newspapers wouldn't get word of it."

Jonathan nodded slowly. His eyes were burning holes into her and making her feel antsy. Brynn stood up and began to pace the room.

"I was in foster care for four years," she admitted. Brynn was trying to accept the fact that Jonathan was there to unfriend her. After tonight, she would be friendless and have no one to turn to. If that was the case, she wanted at least one person to know her story. "Before that, before everything went downhill, I lived with…her…in an apartment outside the Narrows. Dad couldn't risk anyone finding out about his mistress and love child so he had to keep us as far away from him as possible. He would visit us but then he went back to his other life; sometimes he would go a few days, other times it'd be a few weeks. I didn't know him that well. He wasn't around enough for me to get to know him."

Brynn walked over to the window and leaned against it. Her voice sounded far off and she felt exhausted. "And then she snapped and everything went to shit. After they brought me in, I was in an orphanage for a few months. They changed my name and kept me away from the other kids. I was like a disease: if you put crazy in the room, everyone will catch it. Once the trial wrapped up, they put me in the foster care program. I was with six families: the Drakes, the Slatkins, the Greens, the Tolstons, the Krogers, and finally, the Kileys. I was with them for three months before they decided to adopt me."

Jonathan was sitting very still. His eyes were focused on the wall and looked far off. Occasionally, his brows would furrow or his nose would twitch. Other than that, he resembled a statue.

Brynn moved again and leaned against the wall by her bed. "I didn't have proper schooling while I was in foster care. I didn't learn multiplication and division until the sixth grade, when my parents hired a tutor for me. I nearly failed out of the fifth grade. I still have trouble remembering simple math facts and stuff like that."

She looked at the floor and didn't speak for a few minutes. "And then there were people like Caitlin's mom who wanted me kicked out of school. Like I said: crazy is contagious. No one wanted their kid to hang out with the psychopath's daughter. I didn't have friends until my freshman year of high school. Before that, I was too afraid to look a person in the eye. But I wanted things to change. I would do whatever people asked me to. Steal the flag from the flagpole, sure. Chug a bottle of vodka, alright, cool. I was labeled the fun, wild girl in the grade. I'd do anything to keep them from believing that I'd end up like her."

A lump had formed in her throat. Brynn stared at the carpet; she had never admitted this much to anyone. Certain people had been given bits and pieces of the story but she had never tried to give the story to anyone from start to finish.

She began to laugh. It was a humorless laugh but it shook her and left her feeling breathless. She looked at Jonathan with a slightly deranged look in her eyes. "Olivia fucking Rivers. Can you believe it? I mean, we talked about her in Psychology when we were learning about criminals. Talk about bad luck!"

She laughed a little bit more before stopping and staring off into space. The numbness had been replaced with anger and sorrow. Brynn pushed herself off the wall and started pacing again. Her heart felt like it was being squeezed. Brynn stopped in the middle of the room and closed her eyes.

"I never would have thought that she'd turn into a murderer," she said quietly. Brynn opened her eyes again and stared at Jonathan. "She was always moody and would snap at stupid things but she never acted like a lunatic."

Brynn covered her face with her hands. She didn't want to go on with this. She didn't want to talk about what happened next.

"And then when she killed Dad," she said shakily with her hands still covering her face. "She just…I don't even know…it was like she hadn't realized she killed him or was in shock, I don't know." Brynn sniffled and begged the tears to stop falling. She turned away when her face contorted and she couldn't handle it anymore. "And then she fucking shot herself because she was too afraid to deal with the fucking consequences. I saw the whole fucking thing—I can still remember the taste of blood on my tongue and the sound of the gun going off. And there were cops everywhere and I didn't know what was happening and _she fucking left me_. I was seven years old and she left me to deal with _her _mess and all the shit she caused and –"

She didn't hear Jonathan stand up or walk over. The dam crumbled and all her emotions poured out. Just as it happened and the first sob broke through her lips, Jonathan was turning her around and pressing her face against his neck. His arms wrapped around her protectively and his chin rested on her shoulder.

Brynn couldn't remember the last time she had cried so hard. She buried her face against Jonathan and muffled the sound of her howls. She gripped his shirt tightly, terrified that he would leave just like Olivia had. He showed no sign of leaving: Jonathan remained planted on the ground with his arms around her.

It was the weirdest, most comforting hug ever. She had never expected Jonathan to hug her. Yes, they had hugged before but she had been the one to hug him and he just went along with it. The first hug had been brief and reassured friendship. This one was different. It was protective and caring, a promise not to leave. Jonathan was the one promising her these things; she was just accepting them.

He didn't say anything as she cried. Jonathan slightly rocked them back and forth slowly. One arm was wrapped tightly around her back, holding her closely. The other gently stroked her hair. As the tears slowed down, Brynn relaxed against him. Soon, she was quiet and rested her head on his shoulder.

He didn't protest or ask for her to get off when she finished. He continued to stand quietly and hold her.

Brynn sniffled and let go of his shirt. She cautiously wrapped her arms around him and sank against him. She focused on his fingertips which were now slowly drawing figure eights on her back.

"Thank you," Brynn murmured against his shoulder.

He curtly nodded and they stayed like that for a few more minutes. Brynn's heart gently fluttered against her chest. Jonathan knew the truth about everything and hadn't rejected her for it. He would stay with her.

A new fondness for him took over her and she closed her eyes and rested against him, never wanting to leave his embrace.

**. . . **

Jonathan returned to his dorm later that night, feeling confused. He sat on his bed and stared at the wall for a long time, trying to think things through. The last hour spent with Brynn had been unexpected. After letting go of her (he still wasn't sure what had come over him when he scooped her up), they had sat on the floor with their backs pressed against her bed, talking. Jonathan asked her a few questions and she gave him answers. He was careful about what he asked, not wanting to upset her again. He kept the questions simple and didn't push for further information when she gave him short answers.

It all made sense: why she looked and behaved nothing like her family; why Adele Worley had said she had had a difficult time; and why she had gotten so fired up during the debate last semester in Psychology. He never would have expected it.

Questions were flitting around in his mind as he sat there. Would things be different between them now that he knew her secret? Would he think of her differently? What had that embrace back there been all about?

The embrace had been shocking, even to him. He had refused to let his emotions get the best of him as he listened to her story. He wanted to know the truth and it had been hard for her to tell. But the second that her voice cracked and she began talking about her mother, something inside him changed. He grew anxious and fearful for her. Was she always this upset and just really good at hiding it from people? Did she constantly battle with this? By the time the tears had started, he couldn't handle it anymore. He wanted her to be okay and to feel better. He was willing to break all the rules he had made for himself if it meant helping her.

She was the exception, Jonathan realized. Brynn was the exception to everything in his life. He would not have done that to any other girl in the world. None of them were capable of making him feel the way he did about Brynn. He would break every rule for her.

The knowledge scared him. He wondered what lengths he would go to for her.

Jonathan's line of vision landed on his desk and he suddenly remembered the essay he had written for Psychology long ago. He stood and opened the desk drawer and started rummaging through old essays and notes. When he found the one he wanted, he sat down and stared at the title.

_Olivia Rivers: Innocent or Guilty?_ It read.

Jonathan began to read it, keeping in mind the new information he had received.

**. . . **

**A/N: AAAAAAAH. AAAAAAHHH. **_**AAAAAAAHHHHHHH. **_**BRYNN TOLD JONATHAN ABOUT OLIVIA! AHHHHHHHHHHH!**

**Sorry, I got a little carried away. But he knows now! GASP. Betcha didn't see that hug coming ;) Muahaha I'm the master of feels! (I'm so sorry, I just had sugar.)**

**Thank you lovely reviewers/followers/favorite-ers: DeafBookReader13, Sheinreen, Megan S Lox, ShaydesofDarkness, ElektraMackenzie, JediWho, TakingNeverland, Roxie13, MorraHadon, MidnightFedora, Guest, FieryLady36, SJBHasADayPass, AlainHotCoco1, Amber, dEnIsE tHe StRaNgE, extremebabymakeover, Yusuke, Solstice White, and Katherine! WE HIT 300! AAHHHHH!**

**The sneak peek winner was Option #2 (Jay & B on a date, talking about Batman). I'll probably post it after the next update and I'll add it to the other sneak peek story thing. I'll let you guys know when it's up. **

**ONE MORE CHAPTER OF FRESHMAN YEAR GAAAAAAHHHHH! Just a sneak peek: it takes place at Conrad's graduation party. I can't wait to start writing it! It's supposed to rain here nonstop until Sunday so maybe I'll have it up by then. We shall see. Just a reminder that I'm taking two weeks off to work on the outline. Yupp yupp. **

**If you have any questions about the story, what's in store for the characters, what you should be looking forward to in the future, or just questions for me, PM me! Or PM me if you want to talk about anything, I love hearing from you guys! **

**That's about it. Review please!**


	32. Chapter 32

Jonathan knew he was crossing boundaries and breaking rules when he first started to like Brynn. He understood that he was swimming in open waters and putting himself out to the sharks when he let his guard down and welcomed her in. Now he was standing on the edge of a skyscraper, prepared to jump. He was in over his head and there was no coming back.

Jonathan was a fool. He could admit it now and hated every fiber of his being for turning into such a fool. A year ago, he had been a logical person who would have never done anything as stupid as this. Now, he was a raging mad idiot and it was all because of Brynn Kiley.

She had talked him into attending Conrad's graduation party. No, she had _guilt tripped _him into coming. All it had taken was a defeated sigh and lowered eyes and she had him eating out of the palm of her hand. _I am an idiot_, Jonathan thought bitterly. _I'm no better than the rest of them. _

He stared at the red brick building looming before him. Gotham Country Club. The finest, wealthiest patrons of the city belonged here, spending their afternoons playing golf or tennis. Jonathan was in their territory now. From the looks he received, he knew he was not welcome here.

He averted his eyes as he walked through the doors and searched for the graduation party. A couple, carrying a parcel wrapped in white paper with a blue bow, walked ahead of him at a leisurely pace. Assuming they were guests of the party, Jonathan followed them down a hallway, past a glass case containing elaborate golden trophies and photographs of golfers, and outside to a patio.

This was such a horrible mistake.

Jonathan looked out at the crowd of over two hundred and panicked. People were everywhere, chatting with one another, and eating appetizers off of plastic plates. Dozens of tables had been set up on the large patio, occupied by loud guests. Behind the patio were the rolling hills and green grass of the golf course; to his right, a white tent had been erected. Beneath it, a mat had been laid down and a DJ spun records. A large group danced to the music and some sang along.

"Time to go," Jonathan whispered to himself and made a beeline for the door. He was walking inside when he ran into Mr. Kiley.

"Jonathan!" the older man boomed. He draped an arm around the boy's shoulders and led him back outside. "I'm so glad you could come!"

"Glad to be here," Jonathan lied through clenched teeth. So much for making an escape…

Mr. Kiley dragged him to a table and forced him to sit with a group of adults. At first, they gave him curious looks but then dismissed him when they started talking about the economy. Jonathan's eyes darted around, looking for a way out. Mr. Kiley had pulled him deep into the crowd and there was no way he could make it out without bumping into a few people.

For the tenth time, he decided this was a horrible mistake. Jonathan was out of his zone, surrounded by strangers, and feeling like a complete idiot. Why, oh why had he let Brynn convince him to come to this?

_Because you like her, _his conscience bitterly sang. _She gave you puppy dog eyes and you melted like butter…_

He wanted to deny it but he knew that was the truth. He had given in to Brynn way too easily.

After an hour of sitting quietly and occasionally answering questions, Jonathan excused himself to go to the restroom. He hurried through the crowd, receiving a few elbows to the stomach and nearly tripped over a small child, and went to the restroom inside. Luckily, it was empty and Jonathan leaned against the counter and closed his eyes.

He thought about the previous week and Brynn's unpredictable mood. After confessing to him about her adoption and such, Brynn had been an emotional roller coaster. In the mornings, she would pretend everything was fine and the only thing on her mind was the exam she was about to take. Then her eyes would glaze over and she would be unreachable, lost in the deep recesses of her mind. Jonathan watched as a storm brewed in her eyes; anger and uncertainty radiated off her. By evening, her face looked like it had aged from exhaustion and distress. Everyone who walked by could tell something was eating her alive.

Jonathan was careful with what he said around her. He never brought up what she had told him, knowing it would only set her off. With the stress of exams as well as everything on her mind, Brynn was a ticking time bomb.

As the week progressed, her mood slowly improved. By the last day of exams, she was willing to crack a smile and make a joke. The exhaustion and anger were still present in her eyes but not as evident. She wanted to forget about everything.

It had been after their last exam that Brynn invited him to Conrad's party. Jonathan had been hesitant; parties were not his cup of tea. He had never been to one and didn't know how to interact with others. He would probably find a way to embarrass Brynn and she would wish she hadn't invited him.

Brynn was persistent, however, claiming the party would only be bearable if he came. The dark look melted from her eyes and was replaced with warmth and a small smile lit up her face. "Come on, Jay," she had said quietly as they rode in the elevator. "It'll be fun. We can hang out."

And, _of course, _Jonathan had reluctantly given in, pushed on by the ever-present warmth in his stomach. It was clouding his judgment and he knew he would eventually regret acting on it.

Jonathan turned around and stared at himself in the mirror. Why was he wasting his time? This stupid "crush" on Brynn was messing with his life. Did he actually believe that Brynn could like someone like him? He inspected his reflection—he had a skinny, short frame, pale skin, glasses, bug-eyes, a large nose, crooked teeth. Jonathan nearly laughed aloud; Brynn would never consider him.

Instead, he groaned and ran a hand through his hair. Jonathan turned on the faucet, splashing his face with water.

The door opened and a group of older boys walked in. Jonathan recognized some of them from the university. They brushed their eyes over him, dismissed him, and then started passing a silver flask around. Jonathan rolled his eyes and walked out of the bathroom.

He decided it was time to leave. Jonathan wandered around the hallways of the country club, trying to remember how to get out. A feeling of disappointment settled over him; he should have known that Brynn would be too distracted to hang out with him. She would be busy catching up with old friends and wouldn't want to be seen with him.

Jonathan turned a corner, decided he was walking in the wrong direction and turned around again. The hallway was empty and smelled like pasta and leather. He was turning down another hallway when someone called his name.

Jonathan froze when he heard her shoes clicking against the floor. He arranged his features in a bored expression and turned around.

His bored expression turned into one of shock.

"Jay!" Brynn exclaimed as she ran up to him. "I didn't think you would come!"

"Um, yeah," he squeaked out. He cleared his throat several times and looked at anything but Brynn. "You look…nice."

Nice was an understatement. Had Brynn not called out to him, he never would have recognized her. Jonathan's eyes quickly swept over her, trying to figure out if this was in fact his friend.

She was wearing a short, sleeveless, ivory shift-dress. The fabric looked silky and Jonathan had the urge to run his fingers over the dress. Her eyes were lined with charcoal and she had painted her lips a soft shade of pink. Her hair had been collected into a loose bun and curled strands framed her face.

Jonathan tried his best not to stare. He focused on the flower pot on the floor and an oil painting behind her head. His eyes kept darting back to her face, taking her in. Brynn looked stunning.

Brynn blushed and looked down, her lashes like soft, dark feathers against her pale skin. "You clean up nicely. I like your suit."

Jonathan looked down and grimaced. "Am I overdressed?"

"You look great." Brynn smiled and caused him to turn bright red. She grabbed his wrist and pulled him back to the party with her. "Did you see the dance floor?"

"Yes."

"Let's dance."

Jonathan stopped short and shook his head. "Absolutely not."

Brynn looked back at him and pouted. "Please?"

"I don't dance," he argued.

She sighed. "Fine. Let's get something to drink."

She led him to the bar and ordered two sodas for them. A bartender gave them their drinks and Jonathan took a long sip of the fizzy liquid. When no one was looking, Brynn leaned over the bar, poured some vodka in her drink, and made a run for it. Jonathan rolled his eyes and followed her.

He caught up with a giggling Brynn and leaned against the wall next to her. She clinked her drink against his.

"Here's to surviving sophomore year," she muttered and rolled her eyes. Brynn knocked back her drink, made a face, and coughed. "Bleh, that's strong."

Jonathan stared at her in amusement. "Sophomore year is going to be bearable."

She cocked a brow. "And why's that?"

"I don't know. I just have a feeling it will be good."

"Optimistic are we?"

Jonathan's eyes rested on her face and for the first time in a long time, he felt calm. He was going into his second year of college with a friend whom he believed he could rely on. A corner of his mouth twitched up in a smile.

"I must be."

**. . . **

Brynn walked back up to the bar with her and Jonathan's drinks. She flagged down the bartender and ordered another round. While she waited, her eyes wandered back to Jonathan.

He sat at a table with his back to her. Jonathan seemed so relaxed tonight, an unusual thing for him to experience. He was always so uptight and reluctant to do anything. When Brynn had found him wandering around, she had to check twice to make sure it was him. She was still shocked that he had shown up.

Brynn was glad that he had decided to come. When she had invited him earlier in the week, she had been convinced that he would not come. Jonathan was not one for parties and probably didn't really want to hang out with her over break.

She was beginning to think otherwise. Why else would he come? Maybe Jonathan did want to hang out with her and have fun? He was willing to put up with her during the school year—who was to say he wouldn't do the same during the summer?

The bartender returned with their drinks and Brynn headed back to the table. She fought her way through the sea of people, careful not to spill anything on her dress. Once she was out of the crowd, a strong hand clamped around her arm.

Brynn turned around to find that it was Conrad. She started to smile but after seeing the look in his eyes, it quickly disappeared.

"Connie?" Brynn said carefully. "What's wrong?"

He looked distressed. Conrad's eyes were bloodshot and his mouth hung down in a frown. "I need to get out of here, Brynn."

"What do you mean?"

He looked around as though he expected someone to be watching him. Conrad leaned in closer and Brynn could smell alcohol on his tongue. "Dad is driving me crazy. I need to leave."

"You can't just leave, this is your graduation party—"

"Brynn," he cut her off in a desperate voice. "Please. I can't deal with all this right now."

Brynn studied her brother's face for a few seconds before nodding. "Alright. We can leave."

Conrad muttered a thank you and headed for the door. Brynn was on his heels and nearly forgot that Jonathan was waiting for her back at the table. She ran back and poked his shoulder.

"We're leaving," she told him when he looked up.

Jonathan looked puzzled. "What?"

"Conrad's in a weird mood," Brynn explained. "I have to take him home. Come with us."

Jonathan's eyes darted between her face and the crowd. He licked his lips and asked, "Will your parents care if I come back with you?"

Brynn rolled her eyes. "No, they won't even notice we're gone. Come on."

Reluctantly, Jonathan got out of his seat and followed Brynn inside. She quickly stopped by her mother's table, making up a quick lie about having to drop off Jonathan and that Conrad had eaten some bad crab. She didn't wait for her mother's response.

"I thought you said they wouldn't care," Jonathan muttered as they walked back inside.

Brynn shrugged. "They don't."

He looked at her skeptically but remained quiet. Conrad was waiting for them in the lobby, leaning against the hostess' station. He led them outside and headed for the parking lot.

Jonathan walked beside Brynn and Conrad was ahead of them. As they neared the car, the three walked past a group of girls that had gone to St. Mary's. They looked at Brynn quizzically and then at Jonathan. Disapproval was stamped all over their faces.

Brynn looked down and tried to forget their expressions. What was their problem?

She heard one of the girls whisper, "Are they dating?" The girls looked back at them and sized Jonathan up. Needless to say, they didn't look impressed. Brynn scowled and turned away.

"Not so fast," Brynn said to Conrad when he climbed into the driver's seat. "You're in the back."

He grunted and tossed the keys to her. Jonathan rounded the car and sat in the passenger's seat.

"Are you okay to drive?" Jonathan asked in a low voice as they pulled out of the parking lot.

"Of course," she replied. She had only had one drink.

Jonathan didn't look convinced but said nothing else. They silently drove down the street and stopped at an intersection. Above, the sky was turning indigo as the sun set behind the hills.

Conrad was the first to break the silence when he began to chuckle. Brynn looked at him questioningly as his laugh grew harder and louder. Finally, he leaned back in his seat, sighed, and said, "That son of a bitch."

Brynn and Jonathan exchanged confused glances. "Who?" Brynn asked cautiously.

"Dad," Conrad replied. His face had darkened and he stared out the window quietly.

"Oh," Brynn replied, unsure of what to say. Had Dad said something to Conrad that had upset him?

"You know, the man is unreasonable," Conrad went on. "He never wants to listen to what you have to say if he won't like it. In Dad's mind, there's only one right answer and it's his."

Conrad leaned forward and covered his face with his hands. "I don't want to go to med school. I don't want to be a doctor."

"Then don't."

"You don't understand, Brynn," he snapped. "Dad's forcing me to. He wants me to be just like him and take over the business."

Brynn looked over her shoulder at him. "I thought that was what you wanted?"

"No, that's what _he _wants—"

"Okay, okay, sorry." Brynn looked over at Jonathan and raised her eyebrows, hoping he would understand that she needed some help with this. Jonathan's eyes flashed to her older brother and he shrugged.

"What do you want to do?" she asked.

"It doesn't matter," he said miserably. "It will never happen. I'm just going to spend the rest of my life in a lab coat."

"If that's not what you want to do, then I suggest you stop whining about it," Jonathan said coolly, shocking the siblings. Brynn opened her mouth to tell him to back off but he held his hand up and stopped her. "If you know you're not going to be happy with that career, you need to get out now. Your dad is going to continue to boss you around if you say nothing."

"It's not that easy—"

"_Nothing _is easy," Jonathan responded, cutting off Conrad. "But sitting around and doing nothing about it won't help you either. If you want out so badly, why aren't you trying harder?"

Brynn held her breath and waited for Conrad to yell at Jonathan and kick him out of the car. Jonathan remained calm and held her brother's gaze unwaveringly. What was he thinking? Those weren't the words you used with a person in Conrad's situation—

"Have you ever considered being a life coach?" Conrad broke the silence. He stared at Jonathan with what looked like confusion and respect.

"No," Jonathan answered. "People wouldn't like what I have to say."

"True that," Brynn muttered under her breath. She was surprised he didn't have a black eye at the moment…

They arrived at the house and Brynn parked the car in front of the garage. Conrad stumbled out and up the stairs, muttering to himself as he went.

"Thank you," Brynn murmured as they followed her brother inside.

"He needed to hear the truth," he replied simply.

"You don't sugar coat things."

Jonathan stopped and stared at her. A small smirk lit up his face and moonlight glinted off his glasses. "When have I ever?"

**. . . **

Jonathan walked into Brynn's house for the second time. It looked like it had last time minus the Christmas decorations. Conrad disappeared into the kitchen and Brynn kicked her heels off and started turning on lights.

"You wanna swim?" Conrad yelled from the kitchen.

"Yes!" came Brynn's eager response from the dining room.

"Swim?" Jonathan said distastefully. "Where?"

"In the pool, of course."

She had a pool? What didn't this girl have? A zoo?

"Have fun with that," he muttered.

"You're swimming too."

"I don't have a suit."

"Connie will let you borrow one."

"I don't know _how _to swim," he grumbled. As a bit of a germaphobe, pools had always disgusted him and he never bothered to learn how to swim.

Brynn ran up the staircase and yelled, "Stop making excuses!"

He reluctantly followed her into what appeared to be a storage closet. Brynn pulled out a plastic tub and rummaged through it. She pulled out three pairs of swim trunks and handed them to him. "See which pair fits. You can get changed in my room. Last room on the left."

She walked past him and down the stairs, leaving him alone. Jonathan looked down at the suits uncertainly before searching for her room.

As expected, it was a mess. A black duffel bag on the floor was spilling out clothes and shoes. Her walls were covered with posters, pictures, and magazine cut outs. The bed was unmade and several stuffed animals were lounging about. A bag of chips had been left on the desk.

Jonathan carefully stepped over all the junk and changed in the bathroom. He pulled on a blue and black checker board print suit and examined it in the mirror. It hung loosely on his hips and Jonathan had to double knot the lace to keep it up. He decided to leave his white under shirt on.

When he returned downstairs, Brynn was nowhere in sight and Conrad was mixing drinks in the kitchen. The older Kiley seemed to be in a better mood than he had been in the car. When he saw Jonathan standing in the doorway, he nodded at the drinks.

"What do you want?"

"I'll have water."

Conrad made a face and shook his head. "I'll make you something."

Before he could protest, Conrad was mixing Sprite with some brown liquid. He dropped a few ice cubes in the cup and passed it to Jonathan who made a face after sniffing it.

"I have something to say," Conrad announced as he mixed together another drink. He took a sip and looked at Jonathan, his face serious.

"What is it?" Jonathan inquired.

Conrad pointed at him. "Break my sister's heart and I'll break your dick."

Jonathan stared at him, unsure of what to say to his threat. Why was he warning Jonathan about that if he and Brynn weren't even a thing? Did Conrad assume they were because Brynn had invited him back to their house?

Before he could deny that anything was happening between them, Jonathan's mouth opened and he shocked himself by saying, "I've been warned."

Conrad smirked and nodded. "Good. Can you grab that cup?"

Jonathan did as told and followed Conrad outside. It was pitch black out and Jonathan nearly tripped over a lawn chair. His toe throbbed and he hissed in pain. Jonathan hobbled over to the side of the pool and stuck his toe in. The water was warm and soothed the pain in his foot.

Conrad walked around the pool and lit the Tiki torches surrounding it. He kicked an inner tube out of his path and into the pool. Jonathan heard the door open and close behind him.

Brynn walked out carrying a radio and beach towels. She had changed out of her dress and into jean shorts and a Lacrosse jersey. Her hair fell over her shoulders in loose curls.

She set down the towels and fumbled with the radio. Jonathan walked over to her and lied down on one of the lawn chairs. He leaned back, closed his eyes, and listened to the crickets chirp. At first, the radio only emitted static. A fast song ripped through the quiet night and a guitar solo gave Jonathan a headache.

"Wake up!" Brynn yelled at him and tickled his sides. "This isn't a slumber party, it's a pool party!"

Jonathan opened his eyes and glared at her. "I'm perfectly content right here."

"Whatever, Grandpa," Brynn teased and smirked at him. She turned around, walked to the edge of the pool, and pulled her shirt over her head.

Jonathan's eyes nearly bulged out of his skull and his face burned. He discreetly watched as Brynn slid off her shorts and adjusted the red bikini she had on. She dipped her foot in the water, shivered and rolled her shoulders back. Brynn grinned when Conrad yelled, "Canon ball!" and jumped into the water, splashing her.

When she turned around, Jonathan wanted to jump into the bushes and hide for all eternity. His eyes dragged over every inch of her while his logical side screamed, trying to talk some sense into him.

Her skin was fair and spattered with freckles, as though someone had flung paint at her with a brush. Her stomach wasn't flat and other areas on her body looked a little soft, although Jonathan realized he didn't mind in the least bit. His eyes traveled from her muscular legs to the curve of her hips then to the sparkling jewel pierced into her navel. Despite his logical side's protests, Jonathan's eyes were in control, memorizing every detail, from the mole over her rib cage to the thin, white scar on her knee. They traveled over her neck to her shoulders and then hesitantly over her round, full breasts.

Jonathan leaned over, grabbed the untouched beverage Conrad had made for him, took a long sip, and nearly choked on the strong taste of alcohol. He coughed violently and blinked back tears.

Brynn giggled and sat on the lawn chair with him. She stole his drink and took a sip. "Since when do you drink?"

"I don't," he coughed and kept his eyes on the bushes.

"Uh-huh," she murmured, not looking convinced. She grabbed his wrists and tried to pull him off the chair. "Get in the pool."

Jonathan fought her grip and leaned back down. "I'm going to stay here."

She frowned and shrugged. "Whatever."

Brynn got off the chair and jumped into the pool, disappearing under the water for a few seconds. She came back up and was immediately splashed in the face by her brother. She shrieked and lunged, dunking his head under the water.

Jonathan watched the two of them laughing at one another. Conrad started to playfully smack Brynn with a noodle, earning hysterical giggles and shrieks from her. She dove under and swam to the other side of the pool.

"Get in, Jonathan," Conrad called once he and Brynn had stopped trying to drown one another.

"He doesn't want to," Brynn told him. She floated on her back in the middle of the pool with her eyes closed. "Jonathan doesn't believe in fun."

He glared at her and crossed his arms over his chest. Why did she always have to tease him like that? Jonathan was out of his comfort zone and Brynn wasn't making him feel any better.

He grunted and walked to the edge of the pool. Lowering himself to the ground, Jonathan dipped his legs into the water and slowly kicked, getting a feel for it. Brynn swam close to the wall and watched him. Jonathan promptly ignored her and stared at the bottom of the pool, estimating how deep it was.

He didn't pay much attention to her when she got out of the pool. Jonathan assumed she was getting a towel or something. Just when he was going to pull his legs out, he felt a pair of hands shove him in the back.

Jonathan fell forward into the pool and was immediately swallowed up by the water. Before he could panic, his feet made contact with the bottom of the pool. He could hear the muffled sound of laughter and the water rushing around him. Jonathan pushed himself off the floor, broke through the surface, and gasped for air.

Brynn was howling with laughter when he emerged. He pushed his glasses on top of his head, rubbed the water out of his eyes, and glared at her. Brynn's face matched the color of her suit and she was doubled over. Behind him, Conrad snickered uncontrollably.

Jonathan frantically paddled to the edge of the pool and pulled himself out. His t-shirt clung to his body and water dripped from his hair.

"Really?" he asked bitterly when he walked past Brynn. She responded by laughing harder.

Jonathan turned around and pushed her in the pool. She screamed and fell in the water, quickly emerging a second later. Brynn briefly stared at him in shock before laughing even harder.

"_Jaaaay_!" she whined.

"You had it coming," he growled as he dried his face off.

"'You had it coming,'" she mimicked in a high voice. Brynn splashed him, earning another glare from the younger boy.

He was fed up with her immature behavior. Jonathan sat down on the lawn chair and scowled at her. Brynn pulled herself out of the pool and ran over to him.

"I'm sorry," she giggled. She pulled on his elbow and motioned for the pool. "Come on, get in!"

"No," he snapped at her as he wiped the water off his glasses.

"Please," she whined and made a puppy dog face. The warmth filled his stomach, urging him to forgive her and wipe the sneer off his face. After a moment's hesitation, Jonathan grumbled and placed his glasses on the table. "You're getting in first."

She cheered and jumped into the pool. Jonathan pulled his t-shirt over his head, receiving a wolf-whistle from Brynn. He glowered at her, growing more and more annoyed with her by the second.

For the second time, he lowered himself to the ground and dipped his legs in. This time, he pushed off the wall and slid into the warm water. His feet desperately searched for something to rest on and found only water. He moved along the wall until he found a shallower part of the pool.

Jonathan lowered his body until everything below his chin was covered with water. Conrad was getting in the pool again, preparing himself to dunk Brynn. She screamed and swam in the opposite direction.

For ten minutes, Conrad and Brynn played cat and mouse. Brynn doggy paddled to the wall, exhausted from trying to escape her brother. She swam over to Jonathan and leaned against the wall next to him. Conrad got out of the pool and changed the song on the radio.

The two sat quietly and watched the stars up above. Brynn hummed along to the music with a thoughtful expression on her face.

She pushed herself off the wall and swam to the middle of the pool. She caught Jonathan's eye and raised her brows at him. "I have to tell you something."

"What?" he asked quietly.

She motioned for him to come closer. Jonathan pushed himself off the wall and treaded over to her. He stopped and floated in front of her, waiting for Brynn to say whatever she had to say.

"Come closer," she whispered. Jonathan stared at her, confused, before taking a few steps closer. She took another step forward and their noses were inches apart. Jonathan's heart galloped against his chest and his eyes widened. He had a wild urge to pull her closer and press his lips against hers—

Suddenly, Brynn's hands clamped down on his shoulders and she shoved him underwater. Jonathan kicked his legs at her and closed his eyes as the water enveloped him. His face burned with embarrassment. She didn't want to kiss him; she wanted to _dunk _him.

Jonathan came up for air and growled at her. Brynn was laughing and splashed him in the face with water.

"That's it," he said as he lunged for her. His arms wrapped around her waist and he pushed himself against her. The two of them went under and Brynn pulled his hair. He ignored the pain and kept her under for a few seconds longer. When she started to squirm, he brought them back up to the surface.

Jonathan instantly regretted dunking her when she started sputtering out water. His smirk turned into a frown and he loosened his grip around her. Brynn had her arm slung over his shoulder as she coughed up the water. She calmed down and wiped her eyes, smudging her already runny makeup.

"Are you alright?" Jonathan asked concernedly when she opened her eyes.

Brynn flicked his nose before sinking against him. "Asswipe," she muttered against his shoulder.

He chuckled but tensed up when he felt her bare skin against his. Jonathan stood still as he felt Brynn's breath tickle his neck. Her chin was resting on his shoulder and her arms were wrapped around him.

He couldn't decide if he enjoyed her embrace or felt uncomfortable. Before he could make up his mind, Conrad coughed, "PDA."

Brynn pushed away from Jonathan and stuck her tongue out at her brother. "Shut up!"

He flashed her a devilish grin and turned to the fire pit next to the patio. Conrad tossed a couple logs in and searched his pockets for a lighter.

Brynn got out of the pool and grabbed a towel. She disappeared inside without looking back at Jonathan. He was left to wonder what that whole embrace in the pool had been about.

Jonathan pulled himself out of the pool and grabbed a towel. He tried his best to seem calm but in reality, was rattled. Why had Brynn done that? Was it supposed to be a friendly, trusting embrace? Or was there hidden meaning in it? As he dried off, he could feel Conrad's inquisitive eyes inspecting him.

Reaching for his drink on the table, Jonathan took several short sips and sighed. The liquid burned his throat and made his head feel light. He calmed down almost instantaneously and took another sip.

Jonathan wrapped the towel around his shoulders and sat in one of the chairs. In front of him, a glowing fire flickered and crackled. Its flames hypnotized him as they danced and exploded in the pit. The fire reminded him of the warmth in his stomach and how it always flared up when he was around Brynn. What had caused him to start liking Brynn and experience that sensation? Had he liked her all along and not realized it?

He knew the latter was false; Jonathan thought of all the days at the beginning of the school year when he wanted to yank Brynn's hair out of her scalp. She had been an annoyance in his life, constantly infuriating him with her meaningless words and ridiculous critiques.

The fascination with her had probably begun around Halloween. The warmth had not been there but Jonathan was curious about the older girl. Why did she behave the way she did? The warmth had not presented itself until sometime after Christmas.

They had had an interesting, tumultuous relationship, constantly going back to the question of whether or not they enjoyed the others' company. Jonathan remembered how he could never be sure if he wanted Brynn as someone to rely on or not. He thought of all the times she had stood up for him when Riley and Griffin pestered him and how she encouraged him to stand up for himself. He thought of their tutoring sessions and time at All-Stars, the way she drunkenly wandered around campus on Halloween, and how she fell apart when she discovered Brendan was unfaithful. He thought about having Christmas dinner with her and her family, how she had laughed at him when he fell in the snow, and how passionate she had been about photography. All these memories played in Jonathan's mind like a homemade movie that had been forgotten about and resurfaced while cleaning out the attic.

Brynn returned to the patio wearing her bikini bottoms and a quarter zip sweatshirt. Her wet hair was piled on top of her head with a clip and the makeup had been cleaned off her face. Brynn sat Indian style in the chair next to his.

Jonathan sat quietly and focused on all the sounds around him. An airplane soared high in the sky above them; the water in the pool lapped against the walls; and the crickets continued their song. Conrad said something that caused Brynn to erupt in giggles. One of the chairs scraped against the cement of the patio.

"I'm calling it a night," Conrad said drowsily. He stretched his arms over his head and goofily smiled at them. "Don't stay up too late."

He stumbled to the back door and disappeared inside. The remaining two sat quietly, listening to the slow song on the radio.

"Are you alright?" Jonathan broke the silence.

"What do you mean?"

"What you told me last week…are you alright?"

Brynn stared at him with an unreadable expression. He saw regret, fear and anger play out in her eyes, clashing for dominance. After a few moments of silence, Brynn looked down and sighed.

"I'm just glad I have it off my chest," she muttered. Brynn ran her finger over the top of her cup in circles.

"Thank you for telling me," he replied. "I know that must have been difficult."

She shrugged nonchalantly although her eyes said otherwise. "You told me about your mom. I figured it was only fair if I told you about mine."

She sighed again and slouched in her chair. Brynn's eyes traveled upward and she watched the red light of a jet plane slowly travel across the sky. "You won't tell anyone, will you?"

Jonathan frowned; had he lost her trust? "Of course I won't."

The darkness left her eyes and a small smile formed on her face. "Thanks, Jay."

Brynn yawned and stretched her arms out in front of her. Then, she kicked her legs up and rested them on his lap. Jonathan stared at her feet in confusion. What was up with Brynn tonight? Had all the alcohol gone to her head? First, she asked him to dance; then, she embraced him in the pool; and now, she had her legs on him. Was she trying to get something across?

_No, _a voice in his head said. _She's just relaxed around you. _

Tentatively, Jonathan rested his hand on her ankle. Brynn made no fuss when he did so and he allowed it to remain there. He discreetly studied her face, trying to figure out if she was just relaxed or…well, he wasn't sure.

"My birthday's in a few weeks," she interrupted his thought process. Brynn cocked a brow in his direction. "You better get me a present."

"I wouldn't count on it," he said calmly even though he was a jumble of nerves. He took a few more sips of his drink, trying to control himself.

"Can you believe it?" she said wistfully. Brynn set her cup on the table and rested her hands on her stomach. "Twenty. I'm getting old."

Once again, Jonathan was reminded of the age difference between them. _It will never work, _his conscience muttered.

_But what if it did? _Jonathan fired back. Whatever was in this drink was making him overly confident. _She _could _feel the same way I feel. I mean, think about how she's been behaving tonight! Brynn doesn't act this way around anyone. Clearly, you mean something to her. _

_But is it the way you want her to feel? _His logic whispered. _Or are you just imagining it?_

There was only one way to find out. Jonathan let out a shaky breath and stared straight ahead. He would never know if he didn't act. After observing his fellow classmates all his life, Jonathan knew how girls worked; they liked it when the guy made the first move. Up until then, they just batted their lashes and lured them in.

It was simple addition and subtraction. Jonathan could just move his chair closer to hers and slowly lean in and touch her face. That could get the message across. But what if she didn't respond to his touch? What if she just sat there?

He dismissed that idea and tried to think of others. He could come out and say it; then again, Jonathan didn't know what words to use and he would probably grow frustrated searching for them.

The only way to get a simple answer would be to kiss her. Either she would kiss him back or shove him away. That would be the best way to get a yes or no answer.

He watched her from the corner of his eyes. How did he go about kissing someone? Jonathan didn't even know how to kiss a girl. It couldn't be that hard, could it? He just had to lean in and press his lips against hers.

He mustered up the courage to sit up straight and look her in the eye. Before he could lean in and actually accomplish the mission, he chickened out and stood abruptly, knocking her legs off his lap. Jonathan wiped his sweaty palms on his trunks.

"I'm going for a walk," he chirped in a squeaky, high voice. He turned away so she wouldn't notice how red his face had turned.

"A walk?" Brynn asked in disbelief.

He nodded dumbly.

Brynn shrugged and stood. "I'll go with you."

"O-okay," he answered shakily. He waited while Brynn slid into her flip flops. She led him through the back gate and they walked around the side of the house.

Jonathan counted to ten, begging himself to remain calm. This would be the perfect opportunity to confess his feelings for her and maybe, _maybe, _try that kiss again.

**. . . **

Brynn left her yard with Jonathan walking behind her. They stepped off the grass and onto the deserted street. The temperature had dropped and Brynn wished she had put her shorts back on.

"Where do you want to go?" she asked Jonathan. He was acting funny and she wondered if his drink had been too strong for him.

"Anywhere," he answered quickly. "I don't care."

Brynn shrugged and turned to the right. They walked past the other houses and turned down the next street. The homes were quiet and their windows were dark. A raccoon scurried across the street and dove into a sewer opening. The leaves on the trees quivered after being rustled by a slight breeze.

Brynn looked over her shoulder and studied Jonathan's face. His lips were in a straight line and his eyes darted around. When they landed on Brynn, he quickly looked to the side and feigned interest in a parked car.

"Is everything alright?"

"I'm fine," he snapped.

She frowned and said, "Really?"

Jonathan sighed and walked past her. She stared at his bony back and tried to figure out what had bit him in the ass. Why was he so cranky all of a sudden? They had been having fun a minute ago.

The road slanted downwards and they left the houses behind. On either side of them was dense forest. The yellow eyes of an owl stared intently at her and sent a shiver down her back. She didn't like being this far from home at night.

Jonathan went on without her. His hands clenched and unclenched at his sides nervously. Brynn felt concerned for her friend; was something bothering him?

"Jay," she started cautiously. "What's up?"

"Nothing's up."

She tilted her head to the side. "You're tense."

Jonathan stopped and ran his hands through his hair. Brynn caught up with him and looked him over carefully. He looked pale and his lips were white. He stared at the ground and muttered, "This is a mistake."

"What's a mistake?" she asked. Brynn stepped forward and touched his elbow only to have him jerk back. Jonathan let out a defeated sigh and stepped into the grass on the side of the road with his back to her. His shoulders were raised and his skin had broken out in goose bumps.

Brynn bit her tongue as she carefully approached him. When she was a few feet behind him, she tried again. "What's wrong?"

He spoke so quietly that she had to strain to hear his words. "This," he whispered.

"What's 'this?'" Brynn questioned. A feeling of dread had settled in the pit of her stomach. Was he having second thoughts about their friendship?

Jonathan was deathly quiet for several minutes. His eyes were trained on the forest before him and his breathing was ragged. At his sides, his fingers twitched uncontrollably and rubbed against the skin of his palms. Finally, he turned to face her.

His expression was blank and controlled but his eyes showed that he was nervous and distressed. They glowed when the moon shone against them and the blue stood out against the white like tiny diamonds. They danced across her face quickly, taking in her expression and body language. After studying her, they met her eyes and held them. There was a look in his eyes, one that Brynn had never seen before. Part of her was frightened by it; the other part was utterly fascinated.

"This," he started slowly, his voice low and serious. He licked his lips and swallowed, his Adam's apple bobbing in his throat. "…Feeling that I'm experiencing…for you."

She stared at him dumbly, confused by his words. "What do you mean?"

Jonathan's eyes left her face for a moment and focused elsewhere. When they returned, they were dark and uncertain. "I…I don't know how I feel about you. I enjoy your company and being your friend but…"

"But what?" she pressed. Her heart felt like it was in her throat and a thousand questions buzzed in her mind like cicadas. What was Jonathan trying to say? Why was he looking at her so intensely? Why couldn't she wrap her mind around the meaning of his words and have it make sense to her? She was hopelessly confused and knew that it showed on her face.

He looked down at his feet and in a voice no louder than a whisper, said, "I want to see you this summer."

"You will see me," Brynn replied although it sounded more like a question. Would they see each other again or would this be the last time? He was always so unpredictable and questioned their friendship.

"No," Jonathan said, frustrated. He took a step back and licked his lips. "I…I want to see you this summer, Brynn."

The words remained a mystery to her until she felt something soft wrap around her hand. She looked down and was shocked to see that Jonathan held her hand in his. His fingers laced through hers and gently squeezed. When Brynn looked into his eyes again, everything clicked together and made sense.

Oh. That's what he meant by…_Oh. _

Brynn felt paralyzed. Her eyes flashed back down to their hands.

"I know this is abrupt," he said quietly. "But…I like you, Brynn. A lot. I have for a while now but was too afraid to tell you. I didn't know what you would think."

Up until that moment, there had been a loud ringing in her ears. She focused on their intertwined fingers and the way Jonathan's thumb slowly rubbed against her index finger. His hands were calloused from writing so frequently and his touch warmed her skin. Brynn looked back up at him; his blue eyes stared at her cautiously but there was a hint of admiration.

When she surfaced from her confused state, her senses were painfully heightened. Brynn pulled her hand from his grip, ending the brief connection, and turned away. The skin of her palm burned, yearning for the warmth provided by Jonathan's hand. The eagerness scared her and Brynn was unsure of what to think. Her breathing hitched and her heart pounded dangerously against her chest, threatening to break through the bones, muscle, and skin.

"Jonathan, no," she managed to get out. "I can't."

"Brynn," he said. Desperation tainted his voice and when she turned around to look at him again, his eyes were wide. He looked horrified.

"I can't," she repeated in a high voice.

She fought the urge to whimper when he asked in a broken voice, "Why?"

Her throat constricted and tears clouded her vision. Brynn closed her eyes and turned away. Why, why, why? Why did Jonathan like her that way? She had always assumed that Jonathan couldn't experience emotions like those. She tried convincing herself this was a messed up dream and when she woke up, she would find Jonathan with an annoyed expression on his face. There wouldn't be a hint of desperation in his voice nor would defeat flood into his eyes.

"It wouldn't work," she replied in a thick voice. "I'm...you're so much younger than I am. We're too different. I mean, what would people think—"

Instantly, she regretted her words. Jonathan's horrified, defeated expression melted off his face and turned into a cold mask. His eyes glared into her skull. In a quiet, even voice he said, "Why does it matter what people think?"

She stared at him, unsure of what to say. She was reminded of the girls they had walked by earlier that night and how they stared at them disapprovingly. If she walked down the street with Jonathan, holding hands, _everyone _would look at her that way. They would whisper as they passed and glare.

_It doesn't matter what they think! _A tiny voice in her head screamed. _All that matters is what _you_ think. _

Brynn pressed her hands to her face. She thought about how Jonathan had slid his hand into hers and how gentle and careful he had been. She thought of how she had admitted everything to him and him holding her when she fell apart. Memories of him answering questions in class, explaining Psychology, and grumbling about their Photography project overwhelmed her. There had been the time when he saved her from nearly being run over by a car and when he had opened up to her about his mom. She was reminded of how angry he had been when she stole his observation notebook, how he sneered at her when she was hung over, and how he quietly glared at Riley and Griffin. What she remembered most vividly was how he had remained with her when no one else had.

Why couldn't she give him a chance? The more she thought about it, she wanted to. She liked the way he smirked at her and acted like an arrogant bastard. She liked watching him concentrate on his homework and read his Psychology books. She liked how he hugged her and how he had dunked her in the pool and how relaxed he was around her.

But every time she convinced herself it could possibly work and would take a step forward to take his hand in hers, she thought about those girls and their disapproving looks.

She hated herself for caring so much about what others thought. The only person who mattered, who _cared _for her, was Jonathan and she was too ashamed to admit it.

Jonathan witnessed the emotions play out on her face and his frown turned into a grimace. He turned away and said in a flat voice, "I'll take that as a no."

"Jonathan," she pleaded as tears fell down her face.

He was no longer listening. Jonathan headed back for the house. "I'll call a taxi to pick me up. Then I'll be out of your hair."

He walked away quickly and Brynn fought the need to cry. Her face contorted as the tears rushed down her cheeks and she wiped them off with her sleeve. Brynn forced her legs forward and followed him back to the house.

He walked through the gate and disappeared inside. Brynn sank into one of the chairs and stared at the pool. How had everything fallen apart so quickly?

Why couldn't she have just said yes?

Forty minutes passed before she heard a car pull into her driveway. She waited five minutes before returning inside. Part of her hoped he was gone while the other part hoped he had changed his mind and stayed.

Jonathan was gone. She had screwed things up and had a feeling nothing would go back to normal. Brynn had managed to push away her only loyal friend because she had been an idiot.

**. . . **

Brynn awoke the next morning with a splitting pain in her skull and a clenched feeling in her stomach. Harsh sunlight poured into her room, blinding her sensitive eyes. With a grunt, Brynn pushed herself out of bed.

The events from the previous night came running back to her. Her fingers still slightly burned from where Jonathan had touched her. She thought of the defeated expression he wore and the disappointment in his eyes after she had given him that lame excuse.

Brynn leaned over and grabbed her phone off the nightstand. She flipped it open, hoping she would have a missed call or text from Jonathan. Brynn desperately wanted to talk to him and figure out this whole mess.

She dialed his number and waited as the phone rang and rang. After the seventh ring, she was sent to voicemail and listened to Jonathan's flat voice telling her to leave a message. She closed her eyes and lied back on her pillow, wishing there was a rewind button in her life.

"Hey, Jay," she said after the beep. Her voice was hoarse and her throat felt raw. "I know you probably don't want to talk to me but…ugh…Just call me when you get the chance, I guess."

After hanging up, she composed a quick text to him, asking him to call her back. She hit send and was startled when she heard someone shout downstairs. The noise was followed by the sound of a glass shattering.

Brynn shot up and listened intently. Was there a burglar in the house? Wait—did that sound like _Conrad_? What the hell was going on downstairs?

She kicked the sheets off and ran a hand through her tangled hair. Brynn cracked her door open and stuck her head into the hallway, searching for an answer. Conrad stomped up the stairs and slammed his door shut, rattling the pictures on the wall.

_Woah, _Brynn thought to herself. _What was that all about?_

She walked into the hall and stared at Conrad's door quizzically. She had never seen him so angry before.

Brynn walked downstairs and stopped at the bottom of the staircase. Shards of glass were spread out all over the foyer, their jagged edges threatening. George walked out of the kitchen with a glass of brown liquid in his hand. There were dark circles under his eyes and his hair stuck up at odd angles.

"What—" she began but was cut off when her father glared at her.

"Brynn, don't," he warned. "I can't even look at you right now."

He walked into his study and slammed the door shut. Brynn stared at the door, still in shock from her father's words. What had happened this morning?

Madelynn entered the foyer with a broom in her hands. Her eyes landed on Brynn and they flashed with annoyance and anger. She started sweeping up the glass.

"Brynn, go help your sister clean the kitchen," Madelynn said in a calm voice. She kept her back to her daughter as she cleaned up the mess.

Brynn carefully stepped over the mess and sulked into the kitchen. Cadence was already in there, mopping up the floor. The room smelled like cleaning products and Brynn's nose twitched when she caught a whiff of vomit. Her stomach churned dangerously.

"Way to go," Cadence sneered when she saw her little sister. She pushed the mop back and forth with a grimace on her face.

"What did I do?" Brynn demanded. Why was everyone treating her as though she had done something wrong?

"Don't play dumb," her sister snapped. "You know exactly what you did."

"Actually, I don't."

Cadence looked up and stared at her in disgust. She shook her head and pointed at the sink. "Clean the dishes."

Brynn walked over to the sink and pulled on a pair of gloves. She started scrubbing the surfaces of the plates and bowls thoroughly. "So what did I do?"

Cadence threw the mop on the floor and glared at Brynn. "You got Conrad wasted and told him he shouldn't go to med school. He told Dad he didn't want to go this morning, and when Dad tried to convince him otherwise, he threw a fit and started throwing things. God, Brynn! Why do you have to be so reckless?"

Brynn's jaw dropped open. "How is that _my _fault?"

"You were the one who planted the idea in his mind."

"It was already there! Conrad told me he didn't want to be a doctor and I just tried to make him feel better."

"By filling him up with vodka and lies?" she demanded.

"No! How did I lie to him? Unlike you guys, I tried comforting him! You all just push him towards things he doesn't want to do."

Cadence shook her head and picked the mop back up. "That's a lie and you know it. You're always trying to tear this family apart."

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me."

Brynn's fists clenched tightly at her sides. She was fed up with being blamed for everything. "I've done nothing to tear this family apart. You're the one who's always starting drama."

"We didn't _have _these problems until you came around," Cadence fired back.

Brynn stepped forward and shoved her sister. The other girl stumbled, regained her balance, then shoved Brynn back even harder. Before anything else could unravel, Madelynn walked into the room.

"_Girls!_" she yelled, ending the argument. They shrank back and stared at their mother with guarded eyes. Their mother stood with her hands on her hips and her teeth bared. She could be frightening when she was angry.

"I have a drunken idiot to deal with; I'm not going to put up with your shenanigans," Madelynn declared in a threatening voice. "Now I suggest the two of you behave because I've had enough of it. If I hear either of you call each other a 'bitch' or a 'tramp' one more time, then help me God."

With that, she spun on her heel and disappeared to the dining room. When the girls were sure their mother was no longer listening to them, they glared at one another.

Cadence pursed her lips and stared menacingly at Brynn. "You started it."

"Bitch," Brynn grumbled.

Cadence snorted. "You're just as bad as your mom, Brynn."

Cadence left the kitchen with her fists balled up. Brynn's mouth hung open dumbly and then a wave of nausea rushed over her. She leaned back against the counter and fought the urge to throw up and scream and cry. That wasn't true; she was nothing like the monster.

Doubt crept into her mind and filled her head with dark images. She thought of Conrad slamming his door shut and George staring at her with disapproval. Madelynn's angry eyes stared down at her, making her feel inferior. Jonathan's hurt face flashed across her eyes and caused her stomach to clench. Worst of all, Cadence's harsh words repeated themselves like a mantra in her head: _You're just as bad as your mom. _

She believed it was the truth.

After cleaning up the mess in the kitchen, Brynn sulked upstairs and locked herself in her room. She checked her phone, hoping Jonathan had called her back. She wanted to tell him about the events of the morning. When she opened her phone, her heart sank to the floor. There were zero missed calls and no new messages.

She tried calling him two more times and went to the answering machine on both attempts. Brynn gave up and threw her phone on her duffel bag. She face planted on her bed and miserably thought to herself, _I'm no better than my mother. I'm no better than my mother. I'm no better…_

It played on repeat in her mind for the rest of the morning.

**. . . **

_Olivia awoke to the sound of birds chirping outside. She opened her eyes, momentarily blinded by the sunshine. Two black birds were perched on the railing of the balcony outside. They stared at her with beady black eyes, trying to decide if she was a threat. When they decided they were safe, the birds flew onto the open window sill and shook their feathers out. _

_She groaned and got out of bed. "Shoo," she said and swatted at them. The birds jumped off the sill and flew away, landing on the roof of a building below. _

_Olivia stuck her head out of the window and inhaled. It was the first day of summer and the air was a comfortable temperature. The sun warmed her face and tempted her to come outside. Puffy, white clouds slowly drifted across the blue sky. Down below, cars honked at one another and people filled the sidewalks. _

_She closed the window a crack and walked over to the crib in the corner of the room. A smile immediately filled up her face when she saw the baby. She had just woken up and stuck her tongue out at her mother when she saw her. Olivia reached down and tickled the baby's stomach. Brynn wrapped her soft hand around Olivia's pinky and gurgled. _

"_Hi," Olivia cooed. She reached down and picked her daughter up. She was a tiny, fragile thing and Olivia constantly feared that the slightest touch would break her. _

_Brynn rested against her mother's breasts and cooed. Her hands grabbed a tangle of Olivia's curls and pulled. Olivia giggled and pried her hair out of the baby's grip. _

_She was getting ready to feed her when she heard voices in the living room. Olivia froze and quietly approached the door and pressed her ear against it. She could make out Charlie's voice as well as another man's. _

"_It was a surprise to us both," Charlie said in a controlled voice. _

"_Were you planning on telling us?" the other voice demanded. "Or were you going to keep it a secret forever?"_

"_You know it's not that simple," Charlie argued. "If word of this gets out and _she _finds out…"_

_Their voices dropped and Olivia strained to hear what was being said. She caught a few words but the rest made no sense to her. Fed up, and wanting to know who this unexpected visitor was, Olivia opened the door and walked outside. _

_Charlie stood in the living room with his arms crossed over his chest. His lips were pressed tightly together and irritation gleamed in his eyes. He stayed surprisingly calm when he saw Olivia walk out with the baby. _

_The other man leaned against the front door. He looked like an older version of Charlie but his strawberry blonde was darker and had light brown eyes instead of green. The man wore a fitted, green t-shirt, jeans, and a pair of Aviators were perched on his head. He stared at Olivia with mild interest. _

_Olivia cocked a brow at the man. To Charlie, she asked, "Who's this?"_

_The man answered before Charlie could. "Scott Branden."_

"_My brother," Charlie muttered in addition. _

_Olivia's eyes flashed back and forth between Charlie and Scott. Had Charlie told Scott about her and the baby? She thought this was supposed to be a secret? _

"_It's a pleasure to finally meet you and my niece," Scott said with a mischievous smile on his face. "I thought Charles would never introduce us."_

"_How long has he known?" Olivia asked Charlie. _

_He shrugged. "A couple of days now."_

"_Oh," she said sharply. There was disapproval in her voice. She didn't like the fact that Charlie had told someone about Brynn without informing her. _

_Scott took a step forward and nodded at the child in her arms. "Mind if I take a look at her?"_

_Olivia stared at him distrustfully. She looked to Charlie for confirmation; he nodded curtly although he didn't look too pleased about the request. Reluctantly, she handed Brynn over to the older man. _

"_Careful," she warned. Her eyes watched his every move, her motherly instincts kicking in. _

_Scott smiled down at the girl and rocked her in his arms, making a fuss over her. "Nice job, Charlie. It's about time you got around to making a couple of little Brandens."_

_Charlie stayed silent. There was a glint in his eyes, something Olivia was unable to read. After a few minutes, Scott handed the baby back to Olivia. She held her protectively, not wanting to hand her over to anymore strangers. _

"_Why is he here?" Olivia asked bluntly. _

_Scott shrugged, not looking the least bit offended. "Charles asked for some help."_

"_Help?" she asked disbelievingly. She turned to Charlie and said, "Why do we need help?"_

_Charlie looked down at his shoes. He licked his lips before speaking. "I just have this itch and I don't want it to go unscratched. If something happened to either of us, I want some form of backup. That's why I've told Scott about us and Brynn."_

_Olivia frowned, confused by Charlie's words. "What do you mean you have an 'itch?'"_

_He remained silent and continued to stare at the floor. A feeling of dread engulfed Olivia. Had Charlie done something to put Brynn at risk? What had she gotten herself into?_

_Scott took a step forward and placed his hand on Brynn's head. He looked down at the baby and smiled. "Don't worry. Uncle Scotty will scare off the big, bad wolves."_

**. . . **

**A/N: AND THAT'S A WRAP! (Not really.) We are finished with freshman year! *Brings out the champagne* ((I'm sorry I left it on such a shitty note, please forgive me.))**

**Thank you puternic, kaflute14, ShaydesofDarkness, areosmithlover, SJBHasADayPass, FieryLady36, Amber, Jasmine Scarthing, AlainHotCoco1, dEnIsE tHe StRaNgE, Talia Knight, COLsim, Solstice White, Roxie13, and Kagome Narome for your wonderful reviews! Thank you everyone who added the story to their alerts; I got a bunch! You're all so amazing and I wish I could thank each and every one of you in person. I never thought I would get this far in the story but you guys have pushed me on. You're the best reviewers a writer could ask for! **

**I know, I know—the ending was horrible. You all probably have the same questions: Why the hell did Brynn say no? Why did her family have to be so mean to her? Why couldn't you let Jonathan be happy? Well, my dear readers, I am an asshole and need to make this story as suspenseful as possible. Bear with me, Jonathan and Brynn will eventually be together. I pinky promise! In the meantime, leave your thoughts on Jonathan's confession/Brynn's decline/everything. There's much to talk about. **

**Just a reminder, the sneak peek winner was Option #2. I have no idea when it will be up…**

**On a random note, today's my birthday. Yaaay, 17! *Hands out birthday hats and cake*I'm going to an amusement park so if I die in a freak roller coaster accident, someone needs to break into my laptop, read the crappy outline I wrote, and take over the story. But fingers crossed that I don't die in a freak roller coaster accident…**

**I'm now leaving you to write this outline :( Yaaay…(not really). You guys can PM if you want! You can ask me questions about the story, stop by to say hello, or start a debate on who's fluffier: kittens or puppies. PLEASE, I BEG YOU! TALK TO ME! **

**This chapter is way too long… Read and review! I'll be back before you know it! *Rides on a unicorn into the sunset***


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